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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30043932">Bulletproof Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysterious_song/pseuds/mysterious_song'>mysterious_song</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bulletproof Love Verse [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Once Upon a Time (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Assassins AU, F/M, Gen, Some death, a lot of flirting, some violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:54:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>45,126</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30043932</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysterious_song/pseuds/mysterious_song</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Assassins pride themselves on being invisible, drifting through the world as ghosts and leaving chaos in their wake. But when fate decides to entangle the lives of two opposing killers, they become a little less invisible and a little more vulnerable. Will they learn to fight together, or will it be a fight to the death?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bulletproof Love Verse [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2210190</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The target that had been handed over in a manila envelope was a man of routine. He’d do the same thing day in, day out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had taken a mere 72 hours to have marked the target’s moves enough to predict where he’d be at any given hour during the day. Another 72 hours to have his itinerary noted down to the minute. The need to do good work fast was becoming ever more important, not only to get a healthy source of income to buy the materials needed to do a proper job, but also to one-up the damn competitor who kept killing his targets right under his nose before he could get to them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So it was the need to be better, and his new target’s meticulous need to keep to a schedule that had Robin Locksley knowing that in precisely 26 minutes Mr. Sidney Glass would be entering the same hotel bar Robin had just walked into. It was more than enough time to take inventory of entrances and exits and plan for all eventualities. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though twenty six minutes was enough time for a man sitting alone at the bar to become noticeable. Especially an attractive man – Robin was not one for modesty and he owned a mirror – wearing a crisp, white shirt and pressed, black slacks. The hotel was an expensive one, a smart dress code for the bar and nightly black-tie events to appease those who mixed business and pleasure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The nature of the guests staying at the hotel also meant that security was more difficult to get around than most; CCTV covering most public places, constant watch at the door and reception, security guards so burly that even Robin wondered if he could take them and win. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he hovered to the side of the entrance, directly under one of the pesky cameras, Robin weighed up his options. Perhaps he should look for a target of a different kind. One to help him blend in – and perhaps stave off the boredom that would no doubt creep up between now and when Mr. Glass would arrive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes scanned the room, looking for women that appealed to him, mentally crossing off all those who did not grab his attention; too blonde, too loud, too scary-looking…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His eyes settled on a dark haired woman sat at the corner of the bar. It was the perfect location; out of the line of sight of cameras but within sight of the entrance, and near to a fire exit should he be discovered and have to make a hasty departure. The woman herself was stunning; her dark hair fell perfectly past her shoulders, her smoky eyes and red lips accentuated the beauty in her features, the short, black cocktail dress she was wearing barely reached mid-thigh as she crossed her legs…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was the one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He made his way over, surreptitiously smoothing errant strands of hair down and fixing his shirt; he had to make a good first impression, and judging from the looks of this woman, it was no mean feat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is this seat taken?” Robin asked once he was in earshot, offering a smile he hoped was a mixture of comforting and alluring when wide eyes turned to look at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman’s gaze travelled over him and Robin felt slightly uneasy under her scrutiny. He wasn’t usually a man who found beauty intimidating, but something about this woman had him being pulled under her spell already, eager to impress.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her gaze flickered to the chair then back to him. “Obviously not.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you mind if I take it?” He asked, feeling a little put out when he had to wait for a response as she signalled to the bar tender for another drink.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure they’re bolted to the floor,” she retorted, her gaze firmly on the woman fixing her cocktail.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I hear they serve Screwdrivers at the bar,” he quipped, and the smirk that tugged at her red lips felt like victory. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I prefer Martini’s,” she confessed as the aforementioned drink was placed in front of her and exchanged for the money she slid onto the counter. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“The porn star variety?” Robin asked with a chuckle, resting his hand on the back of the deep purple upholstered stool he was trying to sit on without driving this woman away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His answer was given in her taking the slice of apple off of the rim and biting into it with raised eyebrows, clearly unimpressed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A man can but dream,” he sighed, feigning disappointment, and then chuckling when the woman tossed a glare his way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she turned back to her drink he watched every movement, the way her lips pressed against the rim of the glass, the way her throat moved as she swallowed, the way her fingers held the stem with so much grace and poise he was one moment away from calling her ‘your majesty’.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you waiting for a written invitation or are you going to stand there all night?” she asked once she placed the glass back on to a coaster, snapping him out of his musings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took her looking back up at him to spur him into action, feeling proud when he managed to spin the stool, sit and turn himself back to look at the woman in front of him in one fluid movement. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a moment where neither of them spoke, the woman seemingly content with swirling her drink and glancing towards the alcohol on the shelves fixed to a mirrored wall behind the bar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It appeared if Robin wanted a conversation he’d have to start one himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked her over again, able to take in a little more detail – and trying to find something to complement her on that did not sound like ‘I love your body, lay it on me’. Though in all fairness the dress fitted to her curves as if it was tailor made for her, the front was low enough to tease but high enough that it drove him to frustration. And those shoes… The black, strappy sandals on her feet were the definition of ‘fuck me heels’ and as Robin’s eyes trailed up her toned legs he imagined them wrapped around his waist as he did just that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to stop mentally undressing me at some point?” He heard, and felt a blush colour his cheeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you blame me? You’re stunning,” he quipped, not entirely thinking his response through. Though he caught the tinge of pink creeping up onto the apples of her cheeks as she tried to hide a small smile in her glass, and he vowed that he’d speak his mind more often if it got that reaction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So… Are you a guest at the hotel?” The woman asked, slightly turning her stool so she could face him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you?” Robin countered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her perfect eyebrows drew together in a frown Robin wanted to call cute. “I asked first.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So you answer first,” he retorted, smirking when she had no come-back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a huff she turned back to her drink, admitting “no, I’m just a visitor,” then sending a glare his way that was clearly a demand for him to answer too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As it happens, so am I.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The woman hmm’d, her gaze heated as it took a leisurely path downwards, scanning his torso and the very slight bulge in his trousers – that Robin was sure was disguised well but didn’t want to look down and check in case he drew attention to it – before it met his with a slow blink. “How terribly inconvenient.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The low, sultry tone and promiscuous implications had Robin’s heart racing. Yes, he was a professional and prided himself on his ability to keep level headed in any situation, but this woman… this woman. She was something else. Something dangerous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin had always found himself attracted to danger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure we could come up with something,” he drawled, leaning more on the bar and letting his eyes roam her figure in the same manner as hers just had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She clicked her tongue and slowly shook her head, “I’m not that easy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d be disappointed if you were milady; I like a challenge.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When her eyes met his again they were mischievous and somewhat amused. “Most men can’t handle it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not most men,” Robin grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what they all say.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a sly smirk, Robin sank his teeth into his lower lip, fighting the urge to grin when her eyes lowered to his mouth. “Then allow me a chance to prove it to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She slowly leaned forwards, her elbow on her knee and her chin resting on her relaxed fist. Her tongue swiped from one side of her cunning grin to the other, moistening her lips in a movement that would have had Robin shifting if it didn’t risk putting a little more distance between them. Her teeth sank into her own lower lip, her eyes darting to his mouth once again as she leaned further still…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perhaps some other time,” she drawled, mere inches away from him. The feel of her breath ghosting over Robin’s lips had his fists clenching as he exercised restraint in not just taking a risk and going for it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then she winked, a grin lighting up her features before she sat upright again. It took Robin a moment to recover from the proximity, his mind choosing to continue the situation as if she hadn’t pulled away, where her mouth had pressed to his and her hand had slid up his thigh and… </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not now?” he asked, his eyes fixed on red lips as she took a sip of her drink.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m busy,” she stated once she had placed her drink back on the coaster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin frowned. “Busy drinking Martinis?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And flirting with you,” she smirked, her lips pursed before she turned to look at him with mischievous eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin watched as elegant fingers grasped the stem of the cherry in her drink and plucked it out, delicately placing it in her mouth.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Robin started, but then her lips sealed around the fruit as she withdrew it, an eyebrow raised in faux innocence as she placed it on a corner of the coaster. The immediate fantasies in his head had him losing track of his thought, leaving his sentence to trail off into nothing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked at him expectantly, with an evil glint in her eyes, offering a mocking; “you were saying?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was saying…” he started, trying to think of what he was talking about before this woman decided to ignite his brain – and other parts – on fire, “… something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The way she bit into her bottom lip as she grinned was worth all the potential embarrassment Robin felt at not keeping level headed. Damn, this woman would be the end of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m sorry,” she started, although she sounded anything but ‘sorry’; “Am I distracting you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well,” Robin smirked, “I find I’m not averse to that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a chuckle, she returned her gaze to her drink. “Not many people are.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin tilted his head, trying to understand this enigmatic female he had been drawn to. He just couldn’t get a read on her, and for an assassin, not knowing with whom you were dealing was as dangerous as turning up without a weapon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lost in thought, he didn’t even fully process that he was removing his jacket until he felt a heated gaze watching his actions. When he looked to his right he saw chocolate brown eyes follow his every move as a set of red lips parted on an inhale.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now who’s mentally undressing who?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her gaze snapped to his, no doubt taking note of his cocky smirk if the minute roll of her eyes was anything to go by.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though not a moment later a similar smirk appeared to mirror his. “Would you rather I didn’t?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’d rather be undressed with your hands instead of your eyes, milady,” Robin countered, feeling a little brave and confident he’d won their unspoken battle of wits this time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There goes my plan to unfasten your clothes with my teeth.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin’s stomach clenched, damn her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The look on his face as she one-upped him yet again must have been amusing; her smirk turned into a grin that showcased her dazzling smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin frowned and shook his head in bemusement. “Are you always this-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His sentence trailed off when she turned to him, her features morphing into a glare. Though this was not similar to her previous glares – the ones with barely concealed exasperation and obvious contempt that had amused him; no, this was more of the shut up or I’ll murder you glare.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If I were you,” she began, a hint of warning in her tone, “I would not complete that sentence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was merely going to say ‘confident’,” Robin mumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They both knew he wasn’t. Her sarcastic “sure you were” put voice to that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did not mean any offence,” he started, not wanting to have caused this woman any reason to withdraw from him, he put a hand over his heart, vowing; “on my honour.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And what is your honour worth?” she retorted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hopefully enough for a second chance,” Robin implored with a slight, optimistic grimace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her disbelieving frown puzzled him. “You believe in those?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do.” He admitted, keeping his reasoning firmly in the deep recesses of his brain in case this unpredictable woman drew them from him. “You don’t?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her scoff answered before any words left her mouth. “Second chances are the dreams of an idiot.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, it’s nice to have hope, surely?” Robin prompted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her response was a deadpanned; “Hope is merely a four letter word used by naïve fools.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taken aback at the sudden change in demeanour, Robin huffed. “Wow, who pissed you off?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked at him then, a storm of emotions swirling behind her eyes. It made Robin want to know her, know her entire story from the beginning to the moment he sat down next to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though in the blink of an eye her guards returned, and she seemed to remember that she was talking to stranger in a bar – god knew her reaction if she discovered that sat opposite her was a person who killed for a living. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin took note of the way she held herself, her straight posture and the way she seemed to exude grace and poise in everything she did. She looked strong, and not just in a physical manner; somehow Robin knew that she was most resilient, that she was one of those people that could handle all the things life decided to unfairly throw at them. And she did so with the beauty, sex appeal and hint of danger that had Robin drawn to her like a moth to a flame.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He watched as her attention was drawn away from him, her hands disappearing in her red clutch bag for a moment before she looked up at him, a slightly apologetic glance on her face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Excuse me whilst I visit the ladies’.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stood, gracefully sliding off the stool to land on four inch stilettos with her clutch in hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin lightly grasped her elbow, offering a concerned; “Is everything alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Everything is fine,” she smiled, patting his hand before she walked away. “Be right back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked back at him twice on the journey around the bar – something Robin noted with a smile of his own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He managed to signal to the woman behind the bar to walk over to him, intending to ask for a whiskey because why not? One glass wouldn’t hurt. But when the waitress was a few steps away he noted his target seating himself the other side of the bar. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well… There went his plans for a whiskey. Still, the fact that this man’s death meant Robin could afford to buy the Noreen Sniper’s rifle that he had wanted for months outweighed his current displeasure. Though when the barmaid’s questioning gaze fell over him, the first non-alcoholic item he thought to ask for was a napkin, and Robin cursed his brain for its apparent unwillingness to work properly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes, that woman was definitely going to be the death of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Focusing on the edges of the cream, paper napkin, the indented dots along the edge, Robin mentally recounted the plan to murder Sidney Glass.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had just reached the end – the hasty exit into his car parked two streets away – when his attention was drawn away, back to this beautiful woman that he was not likely to forget any time soon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was making her way back around to him, looking in her bag and not entirely looking where she was going. In her distraction she bumped right into Mr. Glass, and Robin chuckled at the irony of his personal life and profession life colliding so literally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He watched her apologise with a killer smile before making her way back to him, and then noted Glass’ eyes follow her on the journey back. Suddenly he wanted to eliminate his target with newfound vigour. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The red mist descending over his eyes dissipated when his focus was drawn back to the woman returning to sit opposite him, apparently still willing to spend time with him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Miss me?” She drawled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Didn’t even realise you were gone,” he quipped, but then she raised her eyebrow and he didn’t even try to hide the soft amendment; “I did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well aren’t you a romantic?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I am; I can’t drive you away so soon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Who said you haven’t?” She retorted; “Perhaps I just couldn’t find any unlocked windows in the bathroom.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin narrowed his eyes, a playful display of annoyance to which the response was a throaty chuckle, the likes of which had Robin smiling and eager to draw it out again.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You should smile more often,” he stated, and when she turned to look at him with a somewhat dangerous look in her eye, Robin only smiled more, as if to show her how it was done.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe I smile all the time and you just bore me,” she sassed, before taking another sip of her drink.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well then,” Robin started. “What can I do to interest you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a predatory grin, she asked; “What are you willing to do?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“With you milady? Anything,” he offered with a wink, feeling proud of the way – for the first time since he met her – the woman in front of him looked somewhat taken aback.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin turned his smug grin in Glass’ direction, initially to just check he was still there but then he remembered the way the man’s eyes had practically devoured the woman he was sat with, and the thought of wrapping his hands around his neck became very pleasing to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Robin turned back to the woman in question, he was being stared at with those wide, beautiful eyes. Her look reminded him of the moment where pieces of his plans fell together or when he had found the answer that he didn’t know he was looking for. He was not entirely sure if he should be fearful or excited. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you looking at me like that for a reason?” he inquired.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no reason,” she smiled in a way that belied her words. “Why? Am I scaring you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin lifted his chin, subconsciously puffing out his chest a little, proclaiming; “I don’t scare easily.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not what I asked.” She leant forwards, entering his personal space, and although her gaze dropped to his lips as she tilted her head, Robin felt a little different than when she had done the same thing a short while back. “Do I scare you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin thought about it for a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was unpredictable, definitely. And she sure as hell kept him on his toes, not giving enough away to let him get a proper read of her.  He wasn’t entirely sure who had the upper hand here, though he was helpless to do anything but stay and let himself be tangled up in her allure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did that make him feel uneasy? Yes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did that scare him? “No.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looked somewhat impressed when her gaze returned to his eyes, and Robin couldn’t help but feel as if he had passed an undisclosed test. “I’ll have to do something about that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin hmm’d, choosing to lean even closer to her, his fingertips just brushing the back of her hand that was over the edge of the bar. “That sounds as if it could work in my favour.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you have no idea,” she breathed, her voice low, filling his mind with so many ideas that were so far from appropriate he should be arrested for public indecency already. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was about to retort, to find something hot and sexy to say in an attempt to affect her as much as she had him, but in his peripheral vision he saw Mr. Glass stand, thumping his chest with his fist as he tried to soothe the bout of coughs that had seized him, then making his way to the restroom several metres away from him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin clenched his jaw, he could add ruining an opportunity to take his flirting a little further to the list of things Mr. Glass had done to warrant his death. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I need to nip to the gents’,” he started, standing from his stool and throwing his jacket over his arm. “Are you going to be here when I get back?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you’re lucky,” she smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin left with a smirk, feeling very lucky indeed. If she was still there, maybe after working hard he could play harder. God knows it had been a while.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He made his way towards the bathroom, his fingers in one of his trouser pockets, loosely wrapped around the small blade he had there. He spent his footsteps up to the door slotting into the right mind-set. He was no longer the gentleman flirting with the lady at the bar; he was the assassin preparing to kill his target. A professional.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The moment he entered the men’s room, his instincts were on high alert; something was not right. When Robin took a few cautious steps further, he soon discovered why.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mr Glass was sprawled lifeless on the floor, head pointing towards the bowl of the first of the three toilets, his hand resting atop his smashed phone. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin’s insatiable curiosity won out, and instead of leaving the scene to minimise the risk of getting caught, he rounded the man in front of him, trying not to focus on the nauseating smell of vomit and instead trying to work out what the hell had happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took note of the petichiae in his eyes and the blue tinge to his skin, asphyxiation coming to the forefront of Robin’s mind, but then he noted a spot of blood on his collar, and when he lined it up to find an identical mark on the man’s neck about the size of a needle, it all started to fit together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin glared and huffed when he realised they did it again; yet another target that he was beaten to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One of these days he would find out who kept besting him. He would greet them with either a shake of their hand or a punch to the face, Robin wasn’t quite sure which yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But whoever it was couldn’t have gone far, perhaps Robin even had a chance to catch up with them. It wasn’t usually difficult to note somebody in the same profession as him; they tended to draw each other in. They held themselves a certain way, could blend in well but yet attract the right kind of attention, maintain a conversation without giving anything too personal away, exude skill and confidence in everything…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin frowned, his brows furrowing together as all the pieces clicked and then holy shit! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He walked out of the bathroom at a reasonable pace to avoid drawing any suspicion, just remembering to angle his head away from the CCTV in time before heading back to the bar – making his way as fast as he could without attracting any unwanted attention to himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was not in her seat. Or in any seat. Though he saw a flash of red in the doorway, and whether it was her clutch or not it was the best thing he had. So he set off after his new lead, vowing to not let her get away – though for entirely different reasons than he originally had in mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he raced through the foyer, he was close enough to catch a quick glimpse that proved it was definitely her that he was chasing, but as soon as the outside air filled his lungs she was gone again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin was left breathing heavily and clenching his fists. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a sigh of frustration he shrugged on his jacket and shoved his hands in his pockets, huffing air out of his nose and grinding his jaw. He paused when his right pocket felt different from the left, and he felt something soft across his knuckles and the back of his hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Robin frowned before he looked down, watching as his hand pulled out the napkin which had replaced his whiskey, the one he did not remember putting in his jacket at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He flipped it over, eyes immediately drawn to the red imprint of lips in the corner before he took note of the words scrawled in perfect penmanship in a diagonal line from corner to corner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Better luck next time, </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The small ‘x’ underneath made Robin scoff. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Next time’? If she expected to get away with taking his target again she was sadly mistaken.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew who she was now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Next time he’d have her. And he wouldn’t let her get away from him so easily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
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    <div>
      <p>After the failed assassination of Sidney Glass, Robin had gotten quite the metaphorical kick up the backside from his employer – with orders to complete his next mission successfully unless he wanted to be relegated to more menial tasks. The hot assassin refusing to leave his thoughts hadn’t really seemed worth all the trouble after that little conversation.</p>
      <p>Nevertheless, it had only made Robin more determined to drop George King without any hitches. He’d planned to complete the op in a minute; get in, shoot the bastard, get out. As he screwed on his silencer he mused that there wouldn’t even be enough time for anything to go wrong. </p>
      <p>The theory was good.</p>
      <p>From his position crouched behind an industrial dumpster, the night providing more than adequate cover, he heard a voice that he recognised, one that had drawn him in from the first words she had spoken.</p>
      <p>With a quiet groan he sank back into the wall, trying to decide how to deal with this woman a second time. </p>
      <p>She wouldn’t get his target again. He’d make sure of that. </p>
      <p>Originally, he thought she was talking to herself, perhaps going through her plan out loud as a way to prepare – though not a very confidential one – but as she got a little closer he could hear the faint noises of someone responding, their voice electronically distorted through a mobile phone. </p>
      <p>He vaguely listened to her words, choosing to concentrate on working out a way to get to his target first whilst the competition was currently pacing somewhere between him and the doorway he intended to use. </p>
      <p>When her voice started becoming fainter as she walked away, he stood, slowly and quietly making his way to the dumpster a little further up the opposite wall. Just as he got there and started to crouch again, she turned back around, her sentence cutting off as she saw him in the shadows and automatically reached for the gun holstered to her hip. </p>
      <p>The reflex to hold his hands up in surrender did nothing to halt her pointing the gun at his chest, only when he gingerly stepped forwards into the streetlight did her grip loosen as recognition dawned.</p>
      <p>“You...” she breathed, her voice carrying a hint of surprise as her brows drew together in that cute frown of hers.</p>
      <p>“Me,” Robin responded, putting his hands into his pockets as he grinned and delivered a bright; “hi.” </p>
      <p>Her frown morphed into a glare.</p>
      <p>“I’ll call you back,” she declared into her phone, pocketing the device then raising her hand to support the one already holding her sig. “What are you doing here?”</p>
      <p>“I’m going to take a wild guess, and say; the same thing you are,” Robin answered, before elaborating; “George King?”</p>
      <p>Her lips pursed in frustration as she huffed, eyeing him as if she was in the same battle of trying to work out what to do with a fellow assassin as he was.</p>
      <p>Robin just hoped she wasn’t trigger happy.</p>
      <p>“Could you possibly lower your gun?” he asked, before adding; “I promise I won’t try to shoot you if you offer me the same courtesy.”</p>
      <p>Her head tilted as she narrowed her eyes, contemplating his proposition before finally relenting and slowly holstering her weapon.</p>
      <p>“There we are,” Robin gibed, “now we can talk like proper adults.”</p>
      <p>“Are you trying to provoke me?” she quipped, unamused. </p>
      <p>“Not at all, milady; I merely feel more at ease when I don’t have a gun aimed at me.”</p>
      <p>“You better leave then,” she retorted, before lifting her chin and declaring; “King is mine.”</p>
      <p>“If I go back to my employer without completing this kill, he’s going to kill me.”</p>
      <p>“Sucks to be you,” she teased with a shrug of her shoulders.</p>
      <p>“Listen-” Robin started, pausing in the hopes of her filling in her name but continuing when her only response was to raise an eyebrow; “I’ll make you a deal: I get King, you get the next one.”</p>
      <p>Robin mentally crossed his fingers, praying to whatever higher being that may or may not exist that he wouldn’t have to go back and explain that he had been bested once again.</p>
      <p>“I don’t make deals,” she stated, and Robin felt his stomach drop.</p>
      <p>He tilted his head, turning on the charm with a smirk as he drawled; “not even one?”</p>
      <p>Her reply was a deadpanned; “No.”</p>
      <p>Relenting, Robin stood straight again with a huff. “How come?”</p>
      <p>“There always seems to be a loophole that screws me over,” she confessed, her voice becoming a little distant for a moment and having Robin subconsciously wanting to reach out to her. </p>
      <p>“The last thing I want to do is screw you over, milady,” he assured, knowing that making deals always seemed to come with a price. Although he became slightly concerned at the sudden smirk appearing on her face.</p>
      <p>“No; you just want to screw me,” she quipped, her voice taking on that smoky quality it had the last time he saw her. </p>
      <p>He couldn’t help the deep chuckle that escaped his throat. </p>
      <p>Well… He’d be lying if he said the thought hadn’t crossed his mind. </p>
      <p>Nevertheless, it wasn’t as if he’d admit that now he knew who she was; “the fact that you’re the one who has been making life difficult for me lately has somewhat lessened any desire to do so.”</p>
      <p>She pursed her lips and delivered a mocking; “you sound pissed.”</p>
      <p>“I am pissed.”</p>
      <p>“Are you pissed because I keep doing your job better than you?” she asked, before her expression turned sly as she added; “or are you pissed because you didn’t get laid?”</p>
      <p>If Robin was being honest it was a little of both, but in all fairness, he was more pissed at his ego taking a knock than not knocking hips. And the fact that the competition was a woman… A part of him couldn’t help but feel slightly inadequate. </p>
      <p>Her head tilted when he didn’t answer, her weight shifting to one side as she cocked her hip in a way that drew attention to her curves. </p>
      <p>Now was not the best time to think about that, Robin scolded himself, especially mid ‘negotiation’.</p>
      <p>“Will you stop taking my targets?” He asked, his voice a little more pleading than he had intended.</p>
      <p>“Sure,” she smiled, and Robin frowned at her sudden agreement before the other penny dropped; “Just go and find ones I haven’t gotten to first.”</p>
      <p>He could barely contain his frustrated growl. Damn.</p>
      <p>“I need King,” Robin stated, pushing flirting aside until he could guarantee not getting his ass reamed by his boss.</p>
      <p>Apparently, his opposition wasn’t willing to back down. “As do I.”</p>
      <p>“Why do you need him?”</p>
      <p>“That’s classified,” she drawled, clearly enjoying his groan as he fought the temptation to kick the dumpster behind him. “And if you don’t mind; I really should be going inside…”</p>
      <p>“I do mind,” Robin interjected, stepping into her path when she began to make her way towards the side entrance.</p>
      <p>She rolled her eyes with a sigh, taking a step to the left and sighing again when he stepped with her, blocking her path once more.</p>
      <p>Robin felt her hand come to rest on his shoulder, aiming at keeping him in place as she moved back to where she started. He ended up raising his hand to wrap around her wrist, keeping her tethered to him. </p>
      <p>“I need this target,” he tried again, his imploring eyes boring into hers to try and assuage her determination. </p>
      <p>For a moment it appeared to work, her glare softening and her shoulders minutely dropping as she started to relent. </p>
      <p>Robin almost punched the air in victory when she finally offered; “I get to talk to him, you get the kill shot.”</p>
      <p>He managed to stay reserved in his celebrations – he was a professional after all – and grinned as he stated; “works for me.” </p>
      <p>The corner of her mouth lifted in a small smile, and his calloused thumb started subconsciously tracing small circles on the inside of her wrist.</p>
      <p>“I won’t be long,” she said, her voice low in the quiet of the alleyway. “Wait here.”</p>
      <p>“You’re pretty confident in your inquisitorial skills,” Robin observed.</p>
      <p>She leaned forwards, rising onto her toes to place her lips against the shell of his ear, sultrily whispering; “I’m damn good.”</p>
      <p>When she pulled back it was with a flirty smile, the darkness in her eyes having Robin imagining everything else he knew she would be damn good at. His teeth sank into his lower lip as he grinned at her, wishing for them to stay in this easy moment before the reality of being each other’s opposition set in. </p>
      <p>When she started to withdraw, Robin tightened his grip on her wrist, their content smiles fading as the atmosphere shifted. </p>
      <p>“I’m trusting you here,” Robin stated, his blue eyes boring into her chocolate ones. </p>
      <p>“Oh, you don’t want to do that,” she drawled, before winking as her smirk returned. </p>
      <p>The grip Robin had on her wrist loosened, and her hand fell away, her fingertips trailing down his chest before she tucked her thumb in the belt-loop of her jeans. </p>
      <p>“Tell you what,” she started, walking backwards towards the door, “I’ll even sedate him for you.”</p>
      <p>Robin scoffed. “Isn’t that noble of you?”</p>
      <p>“Well, we wouldn’t want you to hurt your brain trying to hit a moving target now, would we?” </p>
      <p>With a roll of his eyes, Robin pursed his lips together, shoving his hands into the front pocket of his trousers as he watched her remove her gun from her holster, move it to the small of her back and open the door.</p>
      <p>“Try not to miss me too much,” she teased. </p>
      <p>And then she was gone, leaving Robin with nothing but his thoughts in a dingy alleyway. </p>
      <p>…</p>
      <p>After five minutes of pacing, Robin got bored, slumping against the wall opposite the door and folding his arms, his foot tapping an unknown rhythm on the ground as his tongue clicked a beat. </p>
      <p>After ten minutes, he lowered himself to the ground, taking out his phone and attempting to best his high score on Shades and growling in frustration whenever his blocks piled to the top of the screen.</p>
      <p>After twenty minutes, he gave in, pocketing his phone and letting his thoughts return to the woman currently ‘talking’ to his target about god knows what. </p>
      <p>She was something different. That was clear from the moment he met her. There weren’t a lot of people who could challenge him as much as she had, and certainly not in a way Robin enjoyed so much. He had to admit, going toe-to-toe with this woman ignited a feeling inside of him that he had no business dwelling on. Robin wasn’t sure if it was excitement, anger, lust, somewhere in between or a combination of all three, but it was an addictive mix. Something that already had him working out a way to meet her again after the day was over. </p>
      <p>Perhaps they could become partners of sorts, or uneasy allies at the very least. She had faith in her abilities, and from the damage she had caused at his agency over the past few months, only a fool would underestimate her.  And Robin was no fool. She’d be a valuable asset, and if they could take out dirty senators and corrupted federal directors on their own, he could only imagine the trouble they could cause if they worked together. </p>
      <p>She had seemed to be pretty amenable to helping him out this time; of course he had been one step away from pleading, but that was beside the point. Although he was now in a position of owing her – a loss of power his employer had frequently instructed them to avoid – Robin hoped that she’d be less likely to make his life living hell whenever they chased after the same target again. </p>
      <p>“Penny for your thoughts?” he heard from ahead of him. </p>
      <p>Robin’s head snapped up, his hand automatically reaching for his ankle holster before he met the amused eyes and the smug smirk of the assassin he was currently pondering on. </p>
      <p>She didn’t wait for a response before she removed a shirt that was hanging over her arm, fishing something out of her pocket as she walked over to the dumpster he had originally been crouched behind. </p>
      <p>Robin stood, watching as her fingers drew out a lighter – a metal one with an intricate design covering the front and back – her thumb flipping the lid and producing a flame that she held out under the clothing in her hand. The material quickly caught alight, then was deposited into the trash to burn, a small plume of smoke rising and dissipating in the air.</p>
      <p>“He’s all yours,” she declared as she walked towards him, her hand rising to tuck a loose lock of hair behind her ear. </p>
      <p>“You’ve got- um…” Robin started, gesturing to his right hand and then to hers. </p>
      <p>She looked down, and sure enough, there was a stripe of dried blood traversing her knuckles and the backs of her fingers. The childish scowl that appeared on her face had Robin pursing his lips and trying not to smile, and as her thumbnail scratched her skin clean, he took the time to memorise her features. The long lashes, the perfect brows, the full lips, the enigmatic scar… She was someone he could gaze at for hours and still find just as beautiful. </p>
      <p>“You’re staring at me again,” she said, not even raising her head. </p>
      <p>“Indeed I am,” Robin admitted – well, there was no sense in denying it – before shamelessly raking his eyes over her figure. </p>
      <p>She looked up at him with a smirk, raising a brow and quipping; “are you quite finished?”</p>
      <p>“Nope,” Robin grinned, before adding a mischievous; “turn around.”</p>
      <p>The fist colliding with his shoulder was worth it. </p>
      <p>“When you’re done ogling me, there’s a little present left for you in George King’s office,” she stated. </p>
      <p>“Oh, I love presents,” Robin mocked in an overly enthusiastic manner, complete with his hands clasped in front of him. </p>
      <p>“You’re an idiot,” she chuckled, before starting to walk away. </p>
      <p>Robin’s grin faded as he called for her to ‘wait’, inquiring; “I’ll see you again?”</p>
      <p>Her response was a smile and a warm; “If you’re lucky.”</p>
      <p>“You mean if you are,” he countered, catching her teeth sinking into her lip before she ducked her head and turned away from him, walking onto the street and out of his line of sight. </p>
      <p>It was only when his lip started to hurt that he realised he had bitten his too, in a pathetic attempt to stifle the grin that was making his cheeks ache. </p>
      <p>His smile didn’t really fade in the time it took him to climb two flights of stairs and make his way towards the office where George King had been working, though his mouth downturned when he caught sight of the postit note stuck to the man’s door. </p>
      <p>Couldn’t resist, </p>
      <p>Sorry, :D </p>
      <p>X</p>
      <p>Robin tore the note off, scrunching it in his hand and shoving it in his pocket.</p>
      <p>She wouldn’t… she didn’t…</p>
      <p>After opening the door, it took one look at the man bound and gagged in his chair to realise; she would, and she did.</p>
      <p>George King was very much dead. </p>
      <p>And from the sorry state of him, he had been given a good once over too. </p>
      <p>There were streaks of red down the front of his crisp, oxford shirt, the result of his nose having clearly been broken. The glass pane of his table had been shattered, concentric fractures spiralling outwards from where his head had collided with it. The fingers resting over the ends of his armrest were unnaturally bent, some with bloodied nails or knuckles. His pinstripe trousers had symmetrical, blackened holes either side of his knees where a gun had been fired into the joint… </p>
      <p>It appeared he had not been very forthcoming with information. </p>
      <p>Nevertheless, she got what she came for. </p>
      <p>Robin couldn’t be sure if that included making his life hell again, or giving him this crazy notion that they could actually work together and not want to kill each other. </p>
      <p>In all fairness, she had told him not to count on her. Now he’d listen. </p>
      <p>Note to self; don’t trust the hot assassin. </p>
      <p>…</p>
      <p>As expected, Robin spent the next two weeks filling out paperwork, prepping for missions that he didn’t have a chance of going on and watching his friend, John, being sent out to kill the targets he should have been given. </p>
      <p>His friend managed to bring back proof of his kill for all eight of his assigned hits, and Robin had to wonder if the hot assassin only had a vendetta against him. </p>
      <p>It was uncalled for; he hadn’t done anything to her and yet she refused to leave him be. He couldn’t be sure if she was following him – though he should have known that she wasn’t; he always took precautions against that kind of thing – but he swore he would see her face from day to day. If he didn’t know better he’d say she was mocking him, or at least the thought of her was. </p>
      <p>The fifteenth day – when he could finally get back out there and do his job – could not come quick enough; one more moment spent with an overly chipper Will Scarlet would have him starting to shoot the staff.</p>
      <p>It wasn’t a particularly difficult hit; he could most likely do it in his sleep. That is if his target wasn’t already asleep in the first place. In the two days Robin had spent scouting Walter out and trying to work out the best way to make his death appear accidental, the man had frequently fallen asleep on the job – not ideal for a security guard.</p>
      <p>Robin had a limited time window this time; however long it took for Walter to pick up his work clothes from dry cleaning. He’d planned to rig his car to blow; to walk past, ‘drop something’ and quickly fix a discreet bomb underneath the fuel tank before he ‘found it’ and carried on. </p>
      <p>When Walter’s little Clio pulled up at the side of the road, Robin stood from his position at the bus shelter and started to move down the sidewalk. He was only a few steps away when he saw a classic Mercedes SL park in the space ahead, his head tilting as he admired the vehicle for a moment. </p>
      <p>The driver’s door opened and Robin immediately noted the killer heel that hit the pavement, the toned leg attached to it bare up to mid-thigh until the driver stood and her black pencil skirt fell to just above her knee. Raven hair flittered in the evening breeze, designer sunglasses reflected the setting sun. Her hand slid over the car door as she stepped away, her elegant fingers tracing along the edge before she pushed it shut, the sound pulling Robin from the temporary trance he seemed to have found himself in. </p>
      <p>He knew who the woman was before she even turned to face him. </p>
      <p>Ah, hell no. Not again.</p>
      <p>The hot-blooded part of Robin that noticed the tantalising curves and tempting skin slipped into darkness as the professional assassin part reigned supreme, working out what type of blow to her would be acceptable for all the suffering he had put up with for the last two weeks. </p>
      <p>It appeared as if he was about to suffer more, if her path towards the dry cleaners Walter had just entered was any indication. </p>
      <p>Robin resumed his journey down the sidewalk, though the target in his mind was not the one he had been assigned. She was not going to get this one. He was not going back to bloody paperwork. He just wasn’t. </p>
      <p>He was just about to reach for the door when a hand on his arm stopped him. He barely calmed himself down enough to not draw his weapon on them. And when he noted that it was an elderly lady, with the stereotypical grey hair pinned back and glasses perched on the end of the nose, it was probably a good thing he held back; he wouldn’t want to explain why he had given the woman a coronary. </p>
      <p>“Excuse me,” she started, “could you tell me the time? I’m afraid my watch is broken.”</p>
      <p>“It’s 8:15 in the evening,” Robin provided after checking his own watch, before glancing inside the dry cleaners to see his target conversing with his competition.</p>
      <p>He barely stuck around to hear the ‘thank you,’ before he was pulling the door open, colliding with the woman he had once hoped to see again, and now just meant trouble. </p>
      <p>Robin’s hand grasped her elbow, his fingers digging into her flesh as he pulled her a little down the path to behind a bus stop, turning her and pushing her against the Perspex housing advertisement for Gus’ Mechanical Autoshop.</p>
      <p>“You-” he started, his frustration leaving his words stuck in his throat.</p>
      <p>“Me,” she responded, grinning and mocking his greeting from a fortnight ago with a bright; “hi.”</p>
      <p>To say Robin wasn’t impressed would be an understatement. </p>
      <p>“You killed George King.” </p>
      <p>She at least had the guile to look somewhat contrite as she quietly admitted; “I did.”  </p>
      <p>“Are you planning on killing Walter?” He asked, daring her to say ‘yes’. </p>
      <p>Her reply of “nope” still surprised him though.</p>
      <p>He raised a sceptical eyebrow and glared at her. “So you just happen to go into the only drycleaners he uses on the day I had been sent there?”</p>
      <p>“Isn’t fate a bitch?” she commented, one shoulder rising nonchalantly.</p>
      <p>Robin scoffed. “We’re fated to meet now?”</p>
      <p>“You’re fated to get in my way,” she stated.       </p>
      <p>“No; you’re fated to get in mine.”</p>
      <p>“It’s not my fault you choose the wrong targets,” she quipped, and the grip he still had on her arm grew a little tighter. </p>
      <p>“It is your fault that I’ve been on desk duty the past two weeks,” Robin snapped, noting Walter getting back in his car and moving away. Damn. </p>
      <p>She smirked, looking more amused than apologetic when she delivered a mocking; “oops.”</p>
      <p>“After last time, you owe me.”</p>
      <p>“Actually, no can do,” she started, before declaring; “Walter is already dead.”</p>
      <p>“He drove away pretty fine for a dead guy,” Robin growled.</p>
      <p>“Well he doesn’t know he’s dead yet,” she informed. Upon completion of her final syllable, there was the sound of screeching tires, a loud smash and a few screams from passers-by. “Now he does.”</p>
      <p>Robin’s jaw clenched and he screwed his eyes shut in an attempt to hold back the urge to do something reckless. It took a few deep breaths before he felt as if he could look at the woman in front of him without shooting her.</p>
      <p>“You,” he started, pointing a finger at her, “are making life incredibly hard for me.”</p>
      <p>She smirked, and instead of offering anything resembling condolences, she drawled; “and here was me thinking that was just a gun in your pocket.”</p>
      <p>It was the final straw for Robin. All the restraint he had been clinging onto crumbled into nothing, and before he could process what he was doing, his hand was on her neck and he was taking a step into her. </p>
      <p>He hadn’t put enough pressure behind his actions to hurt her – something he’d ponder on later – but it was enough to wipe that frustrating smirk off of her face and onto his. Her hands gripped his arm and he awaited an insult, a threat or a sassy remark, but none came. Not such a smart ass now, was she?</p>
      <p>“The next time we are chasing after the same target, you are going to back down,” he ordered, his voice low and dangerous.</p>
      <p>“And if I don’t?” she challenged.</p>
      <p>Robin’s smirk grew as his face moved a little closer to hers, whispering; “I’m an assassin; I have nothing against hitting a woman.”</p>
      <p>Her face hardened and Robin felt her swallow under his hand. The look in her eyes had him wondering if he had gone a tiny step too far, but for all the times she had one-upped him it was about time he won one of their unspoken battles. </p>
      <p>“Fine,” she mumbled, her voice only slightly strained. </p>
      <p>The surprise must have shown on Robin’s face as her smirk returned, albeit not as prominent as before. </p>
      <p>His gaze turned sceptical at her sudden agreement as he murmured; “Thank you.”</p>
      <p>Her acknowledging nod was serious, and Robin somehow knew that this time she would be a woman of her word, and his grip on her relented. </p>
      <p>Robin’s hand lingered at the base of her neck, his breath ghosting over her cheeks and fingertips pressing against her warm skin as her eyes fluttered closed. He took her momentary distraction to stare at her again, his eyes gravitating to the full lips mere inches away from his as he tried not to make that distance any smaller. </p>
      <p>When one of her hands trailed up his arm to meet the one he had on her neck, he expected her to attack, to fight back, to bend his wrist until it snapped… He didn’t expect her to lightly trace over his knuckles, or for her to exhale as she sank a little more into the hard surface she was pressed against. </p>
      <p>Robin leaned forward, putting the slightest extra pressure against her skin and moving his lips to hover over hers, their uneven breaths mingling in the scant space between them. Her other hand moved to rest against his chest, her fingertips digging into the skin over his heart. </p>
      <p>His eyes closed as he felt the warmth seep through his shirt, something inside him igniting as he felt her breaths dry his lips. When he swiped his tongue from one corner of his mouth to the other he caught her lower lip, and the growl caught in his throat escaped when her nails dug into his chest. </p>
      <p>The distance between them dwindled into almost nothing, all of Robin’s sense disappearing as he started to indulge the inexplicable pull between him and this unique woman he didn’t even know. </p>
      <p>His mouth just brushed hers, slightly catching on her bottom lip and drawing an involuntary breath from both of them before-</p>
      <p>“Get a room!”</p>
      <p>The two split apart, taking a couple of seconds longer to come back to their surroundings than was acceptable before they noticed the two kids a few meters away from them. </p>
      <p>The girl – the elder of the two – elbowed the boy next to her, whispering some kind of chastisement before she turned back and apologised; “sorry for my brother, he doesn’t really have any manners.”</p>
      <p>Robin was still working on the whole forming sentences thing, so he was grateful when he heard a breathy “it’s fine,” from beside him.</p>
      <p>“Ok,” the girl smiled, her blonde curly hair fluttering in front of her face as she held a hand out to the side to her younger brother, “come on, we don’t want to miss the bus.”</p>
      <p>The kids walked around to the other side of the bus shelter, leaving the two adults to look between them somewhat awkwardly. Though despite the tension in the air, the quiet “I should go,” still had Robin wanting to protest otherwise.</p>
      <p>It took the woman starting to walk back towards her car before Robin jogged after her with a call of; “wait!”</p>
      <p>He caught her hand just as she fished her keys out of the bag slung over her shoulder. </p>
      <p>She turned to him with an expectant look in her eyes, and his other hand joined the one already holding hers. </p>
      <p>“Tell me your name,” Robin breathed, hoping to finally know something about the woman who seemingly had him drawn to her without even realising.</p>
      <p>She looked torn for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip before she compromised with; “next time.” </p>
      <p>“There’ll be a next time?” Robin asked, though it sounded more like a statement. When she went to open her mouth to respond he beat her to it; “If I’m lucky?”</p>
      <p>A smile grew on her lips as she slowly shook her head.  </p>
      <p>“If I’m lucky.”</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
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      <p>There were few things that Robin Locksley completely abhorred, and - being someone who had chosen to kill for a living - any person he found to be involved in said things wouldn't even know what hit them.</p>
      <p>One of those; people who mistreated children.</p>
      <p>From the moment a baby entered the world, they were innocent. They deserved no pain, no suffering, and if they were raised right, then they would grow to become people who deserved nothing less than happiness. It was life that hardened them, changed them into people capable of hurting others, hurting themselves, taking lives… It was life that screwed them over and forced their hand. And the people who played a part in ruining a childhood… They deserved everything Robin would do to them.</p>
      <p>He might have been a little harsh on them now and again, but, well… he hoped that if he protected enough children from the cruelness of the world, perhaps he could atone for not protecting his own when he had the chance.</p>
      <p>It wouldn't do to dwell on it, Robin knew that, but after nearly four years of countless efforts to find his boy and hitting nothing but dead ends, it was becoming easier to lose hope of ever seeing him again.</p>
      <p>He was a father without a son, and despite being granted use of his employer's resources - that were slowly dwindling down anyway - that fact did not appear to be any closer to changing.</p>
      <p>Throwing himself into his work, building contacts, gaining skills… It all seemed beneficial to retrieving his son from whoever took him. Of course, over time, the job became seductive; good pay, making a difference, the allure of taking the law into one's own hands…</p>
      <p>And he was good at it too; an effective hunter, talented with weapons, professional in all aspects of the job…</p>
      <p>Until it came to little miss hot assassin…</p>
      <p>Just the thought of her had his blood pressure rising. Lord knows she had gotten under his skin; she had eased herself into his thoughts, that sassy, sexy, sinful woman, and she had driven him to the edge of insanity.</p>
      <p>And she seemed to make it her mission to appear whenever he least wanted an interference; at the bar when he wanted to kill Sidney Glass, outside King's Law Firm when he wanted to kill George King, outside the dry cleaners when he wanted to kill Walter Napton…</p>
      <p>And now? She was at The Langham Hotel when he wanted to kill Rosina Leckermaul.</p>
      <p>Damn that woman.</p>
      <p>She was sat in the lobby with a newspaper, her eyes drifting to the elevators at the other side of the foyer every time the doors opened. Robin didn't even need to ask what she was doing there; she was here to make his life difficult again.</p>
      <p>Though the immediate irritation and frustration at her being there faded when he remembered that she had agreed to back down the next time they met, and that just left the excitement and anticipation of meeting this woman again having him bite his lip.</p>
      <p>He had no idea how she managed to look so prim and pristine all the time, but she had managed it again. An unfastened black trench coat hung open at her sides, framing the blue dress that clung to her curves, and of course the heels that were completely impractical but did marvellous things to her legs that he was one step away from drooling over anyway.</p>
      <p>He walked over as quiet as he could then pushed the top of the newspaper down, smiling when she jumped in her chair and tried to mask her startled expression with a glare. He grinned as he sat in the seat perpendicular to hers, interlocking his fingers and resting them over his stomach, delivering a cheerful; “hi.”</p>
      <p>Her responding “hello” was considerably less bright, and Robin grinned all the more.</p>
      <p>“So…” he started, leaning forwards and resting his elbow on his knee so he could talk in hushed tones, “you’re here for…?”</p>
      <p>“You know damn well I’m here for Ms Leckermaul," she snapped as she folded the newspaper and threw it on the coffee table in front of them.</p>
      <p>"Not anymore you're not," Robin declared with a smirk. "You said you'd give up the next one, remember?"</p>
      <p>The way her nostrils flared as she ground her teeth together in frustration struck up a feeling of victory inside Robin.</p>
      <p>Damn it felt good to one-up her.</p>
      <p>Her irritated gaze fell to the floor. Though when her eyes returned to his after she had taken a deep breath, they held an expression that had Robin taking a deep breath of his own. </p>
      <p>She uncrossed her legs and leaned towards him, shifting to the edge of her seat, and Robin had to fight not to let his gaze fall to the low neckline or the hem rising up her thighs.</p>
      <p>"Is there nothing I could offer you instead?" She drawled, having Robin almost growling 'yes' and jumping her right then.</p>
      <p>But he knew what she was up to, and he would not fall victim to her charms. He held back, internalised everything and kept his exterior cool as he humoured her; "What did you have in mind?"</p>
      <p>"Depends on what you're into," she quipped, mischief dancing behind her eyes.</p>
      <p>Oh, he'd like to know what she was into. But he had a job to do, he needed to kill that witch who had an affinity for destroying children. He couldn't let anyone distract him. Not even if they were hot as fuck and offering themselves as consolation for killing his target once again.</p>
      <p>"You want to know what I'm into?" Robin asked, lowering his voice and leaning forwards until there was not a foot between them. He felt victorious at the hitch in her breath and the glance down to his lips. He hated to burst her I'm-so-irresistible bubble, but he took a little pleasure in the way her face froze when he quipped; "I'm into doing my job and getting paid for it."</p>
      <p>Her lips pursed to the side in an unimpressed glare. She huffed and sat back in her chair, closing the front of her coat around her and crossing her legs again, shrugging and declaring an indifferent; "It was worth a shot."</p>
      <p>Robin smirked. "Afraid I'm not that easily distracted, Milady."</p>
      <p>"I shall have to try harder next time."</p>
      <p>"I look forward to that," he grinned.</p>
      <p>"Of course you do."</p>
      <p>Robin's eyes fell back down, roaming over the black coat hiding all the skin that had been displayed for him mere moments ago.</p>
      <p>"No," she teased, sitting up and directing his gaze back to her face with a finger under his chin. "If you don't want to touch, you shouldn't look."</p>
      <p>"I never said I didn't want to touch, Milady," Robin offered without missing a beat.</p>
      <p>He removed her hand from under his chin and held it, his gaze falling to her lips - which she swiped with her tongue, probably to rile him on purpose.</p>
      <p>Her smirk reminded him to look back in her eyes, but when he did, she was staring at his mouth and he'd be damned if he didn't use this opportunity to his advantage.</p>
      <p>He dug his teeth into his lower lip, slowly letting the flesh go then smirking as the woman staring at him couldn't help but take in a breath before returning her eyes to meet his.</p>
      <p>Her smirk mirrored his, and Robin felt himself starting to lean closer</p>
      <p>The buzzing of the phone in his pocket pulled them both out of the moment, and Robin cursed whoever was checking up on him.</p>
      <p>Pulling his phone out and resting his forearms on his knees he checked the message.</p>
      <p>It was John. Typical.</p>
      <p>Boss is in a bad mood today, Robin. You better get this one to save us all.</p>
      <p>Well, that settled it; little miss hot assassin wasn't getting Leckermaul. She'd have to kill him first.</p>
      <p>And judging by the unusually bright smile she was wearing, she wasn't feeling all the murderous at that moment. </p>
      <p>She grinned even more as she leaned even further towards him, inciting a little twinge of fear in him.</p>
      <p>"So… Robin…" she started, drawling out her words in a way that had him swallowing and forgetting that with his name she now held the upper hand once again. "You should tell your friend to be less liberal with your name."</p>
      <p>Stuck for any other quip, Robin fell back on the childish, immature response of; "at least I have friends."</p>
      <p>He regretted it when there was a flash of pain behind the beautiful, chocolate eyes he had been staring into a few moments ago.</p>
      <p>She recovered quickly though, snapping a sassy; "I can't fathom why."</p>
      <p>The easy atmosphere had gone, the woman once playing the seduction card now gripping the sleeves of her coat and staring at her discarded newspaper. Robin could have kicked himself.</p>
      <p>"So, I get all the targets from now on, right?" Robin prompted, not expecting her to agree in the slightest, but hoping that pulling her back into their banter would help return her smile. She seemed to enjoy taking him down a peg or two.</p>
      <p>"No," she declared - as expected - before adding; "this is the only target I'm allowing you to have. The rest you can fight me for."</p>
      <p>Robin scoffed. "You think I'm going to allow myself to get beaten by a girl?"</p>
      <p>"Woman," she corrected with a glare. "And you already have been."</p>
      <p>"Well it's not going to happen again," Robin assured.</p>
      <p>"Want to bet on that?" She teased, and the smile gracing the corners of her lips brought a silent sigh of relief from him; he hadn't cocked everything up. Yet.</p>
      <p>Whilst they were on the topic, he could at least try and wring out another gold star from his employer. "I need these targets."</p>
      <p>Of course it wasn't that easy; "As do I."</p>
      <p>"You can get the money for them elsewhere," Robin tried, a hint of questioning in his tone.</p>
      <p>"It's not about the money."</p>
      <p>Robin was rather taken aback by her response. If it wasn't about the money… "Then what is it about?"</p>
      <p>After a second or two of deliberation she confessed; "Killing these people my way pisses off someone I hate."</p>
      <p>Robin smiled. "Ah, so this is some kind of petty war."</p>
      <p>"It is not petty!" She snapped, and suddenly there was a look in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. A look that scared him.</p>
      <p>Whatever was going on between the person she wanted to piss off and little miss hot assassin herself, it was something more than he had first assumed. And from the sudden darkness and bloodlust in her eyes, there was hell to pay.</p>
      <p>Robin's curiosity got the better of him and he couldn't help but softly ask; "What did they do?"</p>
      <p>The response was a curt; "That's none of your concern."</p>
      <p>And of course it wasn't, why would it be? He was just some random competition getting in her way. He hadn't earned the right to any of her secrets. Though when she stood and smoothed out her dress, preparing to leave, Robin remembered that it wasn't quite true; she had promised him her name at least.</p>
      <p>Robin stood too, blocking the route between the gap in the two chairs that she appeared to have been planning to take.</p>
      <p>"You didn't tell me your name," he stated.</p>
      <p>"Didn't I? How about that?"</p>
      <p>"Come on; tit for tat," Robin prompted.</p>
      <p>"Robin," she started, proving her next jibe; "I already know your 'tat'."</p>
      <p>"So show me your 'tit'," he responded in a beat, not thinking in the slightest of how that would sound outside of his head. He grimaced. "I didn't mean it like that,"</p>
      <p>She rolled her eyes. "Of course you didn't; the thought has never crossed your mind, right?"</p>
      <p>"But of course not," he humoured before he took a moment to lower his gaze and obviously linger just to rile her, before looking up at her with a smirk, chuckling at her pursed lips and raised eyebrow forming an expression that was the definition of 'unimpressed'.</p>
      <p>His chuckle brought forth a glare from her, and for some insane reason he just chuckled again.</p>
      <p>"Well, now you've had your fun, I'm going to get going," she declared as she turned and started walking around the chairs the long way.</p>
      <p>Robin quickly sobered, taking quick steps and reaching out to grab her hand to stop her from getting away.</p>
      <p>"Sorry," he breathed, and why is he apologising to this woman? He doesn't apologise, ever. And she started it. He allowed a pause for his unexpected apology to sink in before he asked again; "What's your name?"</p>
      <p>The woman paused, clearly concerned about revealing that information. He felt the need to tell her she needn't worry; he wasn't going to cause damage, he just wanted to know a bit more about her. And besides, she knew his name now… It was only fair.</p>
      <p>Robin's attention was caught by the sight of his thumb stroking over her knuckles - when had he started doing that? Rather than stopping as he should have done, he just memorised the softness of her skin, hoping she didn't notice and tear her hand away.</p>
      <p>His voice turned soft as he pointed out; "You got Walter and King. I got the next target and your name. That was the deal."</p>
      <p>"I don't make deals," she protested with a hint of warning in her tone.</p>
      <p>"So you've said." Robin acknowledged with a nod of his head. "But you did say that you'd tell me."</p>
      <p>"I did," she admitted. "Though in all fairness I was rather distracted at the time."</p>
      <p>Robin hummed and smiled at the memory of his hand resting at the base of her neck as his lips hovered over hers, breathing her air.</p>
      <p>Well… It was certainly one of the most pleasurable ways to negotiate.</p>
      <p>The thought had him smiling even more and asking; "Do I have to nearly kiss you again for you to tell me?"</p>
      <p>Robin watched her small smile fade as he took a step closer to her, her eyes dropping to his lips for a moment before rising to meet his gaze.</p>
      <p>"What's your name?" He asked once more, his voice nearly a whisper.</p>
      <p>She blinked and parted her lips, took in a breath ready to speak when there was a loud, feminine shout of "Regina!" from behind him.</p>
      <p>The woman in front of him closed her mouth, rolled her eyes and huffed before looking over his shoulder at whoever shouted across the hotel lobby.</p>
      <p>A couple of seconds later there was a different woman at his side. Her blonde, curly hair pulled into a high ponytail, her green dress still floating from her journey over to them before it settled about her knees and another breathless "Regina," leaving the pink lips still stretched into a grin.</p>
      <p>Robin turned back to the face his hot assassin - who was now directing a glare at this new blonde - for an explanation.</p>
      <p>"Regina," she stated as she turned to him, which didn't really help clear anything up; he had heard that twice already. His frown must have shown his confusion as she then rolled her eyes and stated; "my name is Regina."</p>
      <p>Ah, ok.</p>
      <p>Robin missed the next few words of the conversation between the two women, his head finally allocating a name to the face that had been on his mind for the past three weeks.</p>
      <p>He was drawn back when the blonde mentioned the name of his target, stating that she had an interview with Rosina Leckermaul regarding the allegations of having children work for her in poor conditions, and the periods where she went off the grid and could not account for her whereabouts. The way she was talking, Robin assumed she was some kind of reporter. Though reporters were one of the professions that assassins hated with a passion, so it rather confused Robin why his hot assassin seemed to have some sort of camaraderie with this one.</p>
      <p>Regina - he finally knew her name - turned to the blonde with an apologetic smile, "that interview's not going ahead, Tink."</p>
      <p>'Tink'? That was her name? Honestly? What kind of undeserving parent would name their child Tink?</p>
      <p>"Seriously?" The blonde exclaimed, before she was hushed by her friend. "You're going to kill her too?"</p>
      <p>"I'm not," Regina stressed before she turned to look at Robin with a grin.</p>
      <p>The new girl - Tink - turned to look at him with slight outrage in her eyes.</p>
      <p>"Marvellous," he quipped. "Throw me under the bus, why don't you, milady?"</p>
      <p>"Gladly," Regina grinned, and Robin couldn't help but roll his eyes.</p>
      <p>"Who's this?"</p>
      <p>"Oh. Tink; Robin," Regina introduced, inclining her head, before she reversed it. "Robin; Tink."</p>
      <p>The blonde's quizzical gaze switched back and forth between the pair. "Are you two together?"</p>
      <p>There were dual scoffs and protestations of "No!" which had no effect on the expression aimed at them.</p>
      <p>Tink merely levelled a pointed glare at the both of them as she pointed out;  "you're holding hands."</p>
      <p>Robin looked down to notice that indeed, he still held Regina's hand in his. Tink's arrival had interrupted them and it simply hadn't occurred to him that he should let go.</p>
      <p>Though Regina let go of his hand as if she had been burned, wiping her palms on the front of her coat as she turned away from him towards her friend. </p>
      <p>"We should get going, Tink; Robin has a job to do."</p>
      <p>He caught the teasing in her eyes, retorting; "Indeed I do, thank you Milady."</p>
      <p>"By the way," she started with a glare, before she leaned closer to him and spoke into his ear; "your target has just come down to the lobby, she'll be here for about 6 minutes. Go get her."</p>
      <p>Not bothering to ask what she had planned for the six minutes she had expected to be hers, Robin smiled at Regina, offering a warm; "I'll see you soon."</p>
      <p>"The next one's mine," she reminded him before she grasped Tink's elbow and started walking away.</p>
      <p>"What makes you think I'll give up so easily?"</p>
      <p>"Because I'll be trying harder next time." Her parting wink and grin was dangerous.</p>
      <p>…</p>
      <p>He was not entirely sure what prompted him to do so, but whilst following his boss' orders to make Leckermaul suffer before she died, he withdrew the information that Regina's friend wanted. Forming a list of the places Rosina had been when she had been off the grid, and drawing out a spoken confession of child abuse. The more information he knew, the more he had to restrain himself from letting loose.</p>
      <p>His boss had seemed pleased with the results, had even smiled - god that was scary - though Robin had kept the extra information secret; he'd just find a way to send that to Tink as soon as he was back in his home.</p>
      <p>Which was where he was heading now.</p>
      <p>If the damn elevator arrived.</p>
      <p>Watching the illuminated numbers count up to 4 got rather boring rather quickly, though he was suddenly accompanied by a large man to his right, a man he'd know anywhere.</p>
      <p>He sent a smile to John Little - an ironic name to say the least - before he remembered what his friend's text had interrupted, and that smile turned into a glare in a fraction of a second.</p>
      <p>How dare he?</p>
      <p>The ding of the elevator drew Robin out of his silent fuming. Then as soon as the doors closed, Robin's vow to give his so-called mate the silent treatment until tomorrow ended. </p>
      <p>John directed his stare back to Robin after his finger jabbed G for the car park. "It's about damn time you got your target, Robin. One more missed one and boss man was going to turn into a beast."</p>
      <p>"Well, I got my target," he gritted in response.</p>
      <p>"Finally," John chuckled, oblivious to his friend's rising temper. "You gonna tell me why you keep failing?"</p>
      <p>"I don't keep failing," he protested, before defending himself; "there's just another assassin who keeps getting there first."</p>
      <p>"Yeah, well you know if you just told the boss he'd get rid of them for you."</p>
      <p>"No," Robin growled before he even realised. He just couldn't stomach the thought of his boss getting his hands on her. At John's puzzled stare, he amended himself; "she's not that bad."</p>
      <p>"She?" John laughed, a hand to his rotund belly as he threw his head back. "Oh man, you got your ass kicked by a girl?"</p>
      <p>"Woman," he corrected automatically. "And she's damn good."</p>
      <p>John scoffed. "Yeah, well, when you get yourself torn a new one you can decide if she's worth it."</p>
      <p>Robin clenched his jaw, counting the seconds before the doors opened and he could make his way to his car. As his thumb pressed the central locking and his car lights flashed, his mind travelled back to Regina.</p>
      <p>Yeah, he may end up in some rather deep trouble because of that woman, and have a hard time cleaning it up. But from what he had seen so far, he didn't really mind.</p>
      <p>He enjoyed a challenge.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
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      <p>Two hours.</p>
      <p>Two hours Robin had been sat on this uncomfortable, metal chair, listening to his boss tell him and his co-workers how to do their jobs - as if they hadn't been given this lecture a dozen times before.</p>
      <p>This time was different though; the demeanour of the man pacing in front of them had the entire room on edge. Everyone kept schtum so as not to antagonise the beast and considerably shorten their life span; a lesson learned very soon into one's employment here - otherwise one didn't last very long.</p>
      <p>The moment the room was dismissed with orders to be more competent if they wanted to remain working there - and an unspoken 'if you want to remain breathing' tagged onto the end that was heard very clearly - people jumped out of their chairs and made a hasty retreat to somewhere they weren't at risk of being crushed to dust for breathing too loudly.</p>
      <p>Robin was one of the last out, and had just put his foot over the room's threshold when he heard his name being called.</p>
      <p>Gritting his teeth and plastering a mask of indifference on his face, he turned back to his boss. "Can I help you, sir?"</p>
      <p>"Yes, you can Locksley; I need you to do something for me."</p>
      <p>Ah, a covert job on the side. Wouldn't be the first.</p>
      <p>Robin didn't get a chance to ask what was going on before he was told; "you're going to kill an old customer of mine, and you are not to talk about it to anyone other than myself. Clear?"</p>
      <p>"Clear."</p>
      <p>Robin listened intently to the instructions that followed, the long-range rifle he needed to purchase along with specialist ammo, the location of the weapons dealer and a quick rundown of his plans for his boss' 'old customer' Skylar Azul - referred to as the codename 'blue'.</p>
      <p>He was to shoot her, a long range sniper shot using the gun and ammunition a local mercenary group had adopted as their signature. An 'anonymous' tip would be given to the police and - upon searching the leader's apartment - incriminating evidence would be found tying them to the crime.</p>
      <p>A master manipulation.</p>
      <p>Robin's boss may have been an asshole at times, but he was incredibly clever, he had to give him that.  </p>
      <p>…</p>
      <p>It also appeared that his boss had strange taste in weapons dealers.</p>
      <p>Well, not 'strange' per se, but definitely… Unorthodox.</p>
      <p>The first thing Robin noted as he walked up to 'Queen Anne's Revenge' - which had Robin pulling a rather judgemental face anyway because seriously? Who would call their place of business that? - was the traditional skull and crossbones flag protruding from above the door.</p>
      <p>Damn Pirate wannabe, he scoffed.</p>
      <p>Though actually, the interior looked… Not bad.</p>
      <p>The walls were dark blue, the floors and furniture a dark wood, and yet there were light, cream cushions, and white tops to the tables and counters in the foyer. And at the waiting area to his left, a dark coffee table was placed in front of three wicker sofas facing away from the main access route through to the back rooms, and on the far wall was a mirror with an iron anchor fixed either side. </p>
      <p>Robin rather liked the whole nautical theme. He wouldn't rush to redecorate his home that way, but he could certainly see the appeal in it - if it was done properly.</p>
      <p>A quick scope around the place catalogued the three exits - front door, fire exit, back rooms - and possible cover in case anyone went ballistic - literally. Though Robin had only ever known one person who tried to rob a gun dealership, and they ended up with so many bulletholes through them that they were almost see-through. To say it hadn't been their best idea had been an understatement.</p>
      <p>Of all the things Robin had stolen, guns had never really been high on the list. Fortunately, his money-loving employer spent a lot of his wealth on protection, either blackmail to keep him untouchable, or weapons to keep himself defendable. So Robin merely had to ask for a new weapon - and dress it up to suit his boss' needs - and he usually received.</p>
      <p>He even thought about buying an extra weapon whilst he was here and using company money - but then if he couldn't provide a reasonable enough explanation once the money had been spent he'd likely be signing his own death warrant.</p>
      <p>So perhaps not.</p>
      <p>He'd just get what he came for and then leave.</p>
      <p>On his way to the main counter, Robin saw a blonde woman in the waiting area with her back to him. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar, giving him a sense of déjà vu, but he was not here to satisfy curiosity, and he was not interested in the clientele; this place was a 'no questions asked' kind of establishment and he didn't feel like making any more enemies.</p>
      <p>He stepped towards the man at the desk, knowing he'd be the one to allow him into the back. He was fifteen minutes early but it was doubtful that the renowned Edward Thatch would mind getting a deal done a little early.</p>
      <p>Robin couldn't help but wonder what came first; did the man make the best of an unfortunate name, or did he adopt the whole 'black-bearded-pirate' persona to become more intimidating? Whatever the guy's motives, Robin commended him; he certainly wouldn't be forgetting this place in a hurry.</p>
      <p>Even the guy behind the desk looked like one of those first mates from the Peter Pan film, with the red cap, untrimmed beard, scruffy clothing... And, if Robin was being honest, he made the place rather untidy.</p>
      <p>When Robin reached him, he cleared his throat, declaring; "I'm here for Edward Thatch."</p>
      <p>"He's with a customer at the moment," the guy replied. "Take a seat for now."</p>
      <p>Then he turned away, taking a couple of folders with him - presumably to deliver or file or something else mind-numbingly monotonous.</p>
      <p>Robin drummed his fingers on the wooden desk, tapped his foot on the floor, clicked his tongue in an improvised rhythm…</p>
      <p>He didn't do well with waiting.</p>
      <p>Noting the guy in the red cap had not returned yet, Robin decided to just go ahead into the back. He'd just loiter until the customer was finished, and he could eye up the stock and see what was on offer whilst he did so.</p>
      <p>The faint murmur of conversation became louder as he reached the doorway into the back room. Though there was no actual door; privacy here was provided through a black, mesh curtain.</p>
      <p>Robin reached forward to create a parting he could get through, but just as his fingertips encountered the thin fabric, he heard a familiar voice. A low, feminine, sultry drawl that had been an element to his private fantasies more than once over the past few weeks - though he'd probably deny that if he was asked.</p>
      <p>It was unmistakably...</p>
      <p>Regina.</p>
      <p>A smirk grew on Robin's face as he slowly walked through the gap in black net, leaning against the jamb as his eyes sought her out.</p>
      <p>She was dressed to kill, as she always seemed to be; black, skin-tight leather trousers, a biker jacket, and - of course - the red, fuck-me heels that she probably did everything in.</p>
      <p> </p>
      <p>Now… There was an appealing thought… </p>
      <p> </p>
      <p>In his distraction, Robin hadn't noticed that he had been spotted. Edward Thatch's beady eyes narrowed at him as he gripped the pistol holstered at his hip before realising that there was no immediate threat; his next client was just a little early.</p>
      <p>"I shall only be a few minutes, feel free to wait outside," the man declared in his heavily accented tone. He even sounded like a bloody pirate, Robin mused with a disbelieving chuckle.</p>
      <p>Then Robin comprehended the thinly veiled order and huffed, until Regina turned around and looked for the interruption, her face tensing in annoyance when she recognised him.</p>
      <p>Unable to resist annoying her further, Robin grinned and waved, delivering an overly saccharine, "hi!"</p>
      <p>Her eyes narrowed at him. "'the hell are you doing here?"</p>
      <p>"I'm here to get my hair cut," he deadpanned, inwardly laughing at the exaggerated roll of her eyes.</p>
      <p>The dealer looked from Robin to Regina then back again. "Do I spy a couple in me midst?"</p>
      <p>Before Robin could even open his mouth to respond - though respond with what he had no idea - Regina spoke up and retorted; "A couple of rivals, yes. He's the competition."</p>
      <p>"Well, Miss Mills was here first, so I'm afraid she beat you to it this time, son."</p>
      <p>Robin smiled. Regina Mills. That was her full name. It had only taken a month to find out, Robin mused.</p>
      <p>"Oh, well in that case, I'll have to make a compromise with... Miss Mills," he teased, lowering his voice to utter her name, enjoying the way it sounded in his mouth more than he should.</p>
      <p>She glared at him, no doubt uncomfortable about him knowing more about her than she knew about him. He smirked back, feeling momentarily high on power, though his upper-hand lasted all of two seconds before it was taken away from him.</p>
      <p>"Mr Locksley, I doubt Miss Mills is the type to compromise."</p>
      <p>Blasted pirate. The sudden glee in Regina's eyes diminished Robin's smirk entirely.</p>
      <p>Having seemingly no idea of the power-play occurring before him, the weapons dealer continued: "I have tried many a time and promptly failed."</p>
      <p>"All due respect," Robin started. "You're not me."</p>
      <p>"No, because him I would actually like to talk to... Mr Locksley," Regina retorted, mocking his earlier delivery of her name by lowering her voice to deliver his.</p>
      <p>Robin couldn't help but watch her lips as she addressed him, his mind already picturing scenarios where it was uttered with more pleasure in her voice than disdain.</p>
      <p>"I'm hurt," he quipped, refusing to let her know the directions his thoughts were heading.</p>
      <p>"Poor you," she pouted. "Go and lick your bruised ego in private."</p>
      <p>"Would you not prefer to do that yourself?" he countered, enjoying the frustrated sigh as she looked heavenward.</p>
      <p>"In your dreams."</p>
      <p>Robin tried so hard to resist, but he was unable to let the opportunity pass him by; "In my dreams it's not my ego you're licking."</p>
      <p>The darkening of her eyes and the intake of breath had Robin wondering if perhaps all the hostility towards him was just an act, a front, perhaps the sultry innuendo she had been throwing at him wasn't just to rile him up; perhaps she was equally as plagued by inappropriate thoughts as he was.</p>
      <p>Robin opened his mouth, intent on offering 'care to make my dreams come true?' but Edward Thatch - the bloody annoyance - interrupted him; "Can you two just pause on the verbal sex until I've got me money?"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  </p>
      <p>Regina smirked and raised her chin in a silent challenge as she declared; "I was here first, go away."</p>
      <p>"So mature, milady."</p>
      <p>In an uncharacteristic show of childish humour - she had an actual sense of humour, who knew? - the woman scrunched her features before turning back to the table with whatever gun she was purchasing in a silver case, signifying the end of the conversation.</p>
      <p>Robin - for once - took note, and eventually left her in peace. Though if he was working out further ways to annoy her as he sat in the waiting area, who could blame him? She drew out the best in him.</p>
      <p>With his fingers tapping the wicker sofa he was sat on, his eyes scanned the room, and when they fell on the mysterious blonde from earlier, he realised why she had seemed so familiar.</p>
      <p>And from the sudden look of recognition on her face, she remembered him too.</p>
      <p>"Hi. Robin, wasn't it?" she asked as she moved to sit next to him on the two-seater.</p>
      <p>"Yup," he replied, before inquiring; "Tink, right?"</p>
      <p>"My name's Faye, it's only Regina who calls me Tink," she clarified, and Robin felt an unusual pang of jealousy at Regina having something which he couldn't play tug-of-war with to irritate her.</p>
      <p>"Oh, am I not allowed?"</p>
      <p>The blonde narrowed her eyes in deliberation, before relenting, "I guess... But I want you to answer one question before I let you."</p>
      <p>Robin paused, and let out an unsure, "sure."</p>
      <p>She spent a moment deciding on the correct words before simply blurting out; "What the hell is going on between you and Regina?"</p>
      <p>Robin blinked. "I beg your pardon?"</p>
      <p>"Because when I saw you two last week I swore you were together, but Regina said that you weren't and then avoided talking about you completely. So instead of asking little miss 'I keep to myself and you should do the same', I'm asking you. So…" the woman paused in her tirade to lean forwards and clasp her hands in her lap, repeating; "What's going on between you and Regina?"</p>
      <p>"Nothing," Robin replied, slightly unnerved by the knowing eyebrow raise she sent his way. "Honestly, nothing's going on."</p>
      <p>"But…?" Regina's friend drew out, obviously the journalist in her refusing to stop until she had all the details.</p>
      <p>"But... we both vie for the same targets from time to time," Robin admitted, before adding; "Regina's rather headstrong, but so am I, and so we clash."</p>
      <p>"You seemed to be working together just fine when I saw you," she mumbled. "All hushed talking and holding hands and looking one second away from devouring each other..."</p>
      <p>Robin ignored the salacious grin she directed at him. "I was merely trying to find out her name."</p>
      <p>"She didn't tell you?"</p>
      <p>Shaking his head, Robin explained; "she said she'd tell me the next time we met."</p>
      <p>"When was that?"</p>
      <p>"The time before that," he answered, not giving anything away.</p>
      <p>The reporter sat back against the cushions with a huff as she folded her arms. "You're as close-lipped about everything as Regina is..."</p>
      <p>Robin gave her a cheesy grin as he nodded, before letting the conversation dwindle.</p>
      <p>Though the silence didn't last for long; Robin chose to start it up again by asking, "Have you known her long?"</p>
      <p>"About a year or so..." Tink answered. "How about you? She's only started talking about you the past month."</p>
      <p>With a swell of victory, Robin noted that they only met about a month ago... He must have made quite an impression on her.</p>
      <p>"What does she say about me?" He asked, unable to resist a possible boost to the ego when he added; "anything complimentary?"</p>
      <p>"Only if you'd like a prize for 'most petulant asshole' or being a 'Class A dick'."</p>
      <p>Robin grimaced, "ouch."</p>
      <p>Tink chuckled. "And those are some of the nicer ones."</p>
      <p>"Double ouch."</p>
      <p>She reached over and gave him a comforting pat on the knee, "don't worry about it; she insults everyone she meets."</p>
      <p>"I can see that..." Robin grumbled.</p>
      <p>"Can I ask you something?" Tink inquired, and Robin felt a little wary at being practically interviewed by a journalist, but he nodded anyway. She obviously didn't mean any harm if Regina trusted her. "Were you the one who sent me the intel on Rosina?"</p>
      <p>"I may have been," Robin answered non-committedly - though his sly smirk gave him away.</p>
      <p>"Okay, I officially like you," Tink declared before rambling; "Do you realise how much praise I got for that? And it was an exclusive! Nobody else had that confession! I was a hero amongst the country's journalists."</p>
      <p>"I saw your clever headline," Robin praised. "'CEO of Sight Fashion is a Blind Witch'. It's catchy."</p>
      <p>"Thank you."</p>
      <p>"You're welcome."</p>
      <p>Tink was quiet for a moment before asking another question. "Why did you help me out?"</p>
      <p>"I..." Robin started, before pausing as reason escaped him.</p>
      <p>"You..." she prompted, before filling in the blanks herself with a hopeful smile; "wanted to help me because I'm a friend of Regina's and you like her?"</p>
      <p>"I think 'like' is taking it a bit far, wouldn't you say?"</p>
      <p>The blonde shrugged. "She likes you."</p>
      <p>Forgoing all sense of dignity, Robin sat straight, immediately perking up at the thought. "She does?"</p>
      <p>"Of course," she declared as if it was obvious. "You're the only person who's stolen her targets and lived to tell the tale."</p>
      <p>Robin deflated at the lack of concrete proof given. "So... Her version of 'I like you' is letting people live?"</p>
      <p>"Yes."</p>
      <p>"That's a bit psychopathic."</p>
      <p>"I thought all assassins were at least a little bit psychopathic," she quipped. "Besides, Regina's not that bad. If you have her fighting in your corner, you're a very lucky person indeed."</p>
      <p>"I always got the feeling she worked on her own."</p>
      <p>"She does," Tink conceded. "I mean, she'll work with her best friend quite often, but she's kind of a lone wolf. I just think she needs someone to fight in her corner for a change."</p>
      <p>Robin saw the sly look she gave him, and oh no; matchmaking was the last thing he needed right now.</p>
      <p>"I'm sure Regina will find someone eventually. Someone she likes more than just not killing them."</p>
      <p>"I think she already found them," Tink sang, her voice light and airy, with a hint of mischief.</p>
      <p>"I think that you're mistaken," he sang back in the same rhythm, watching as the woman in question stepped through the netted curtain, spotted them, and then glared as she walked over.</p>
      <p>"I hope you two aren't plotting anything against me," she said in warning as she narrowed her eyes.</p>
      <p>There were mutual 'no's - which were ruled null and void by Tink's cheesy grin.</p>
      <p>Regina rolled her eyes and started walking away, leaving it up to Tink to chase after her. Though the young blonde had different ideas; she leaned over to Robin and whispered in his ear; "say something nice."</p>
      <p>When Robin didn't make any move to do anything, she pinched his thigh so hard he couldn't help but stand up and let out a yelp.</p>
      <p>Regina turned back around, the sudden noise having garnered her attention. She raised an eyebrow at him, an unspoken inquiry to encourage him to speak.</p>
      <p>Robin glared at Tink for having put him on the spot, but she glared back just as hard, subtly mouthing 'say something nice' with an extra narrow of her eyes for good measure.</p>
      <p>Turning back to Regina, Robin let his eyes scan quickly over her.</p>
      <p>She looked nice - stunning, actually - but complimenting outfits seemed more like a girlfriend's kind of thing. He could compliment her looks, though he'd already made it clear that he found her attractive, and she may take that as another chat-up line with the intent to rile her up. He didn't know her well enough to compliment her personality, and to be brutally honest, the times when he wasn't imagining pinning her against the wall he found her to be a bit of a bitch, and he wasn't going to lie to her.</p>
      <p>His eyes glanced over the metal case in her hand, housing the gun that she had just purchased for goodness knows what. But he could work with that. Nothing too emotional or touchy-feely or borderline inappropriate...</p>
      <p>"I hope your op goes well," he settled on, putting as much sincerity into his tone as he could manage.</p>
      <p>Regina looked rather confused, narrowing her eyes and waiting for the punchline, but when it never came she relaxed and quietly thanked him. Adding a gentle, "you too, I guess."</p>
      <p>Robin's blue eyes met Regina's brown ones, and to his surprise she seemed a little less guarded, actually showing some humanity behind the tough-girl façade she was wearing.</p>
      <p>Though Edward - the bastard - interrupted this moment too, calling his name from the back and severing the connection he was trying to build.</p>
      <p>"We should go," Regina stated, looking towards Tink and nodding at the door, walking away before Robin could even say goodbye.</p>
      <p>It was only when they were halfway out the building that Regina's gaze met his again, and Robin held it for as long as he could, even offering a small smile - to which she responded by quirking the corner of her mouth.</p>
      <p>Tink looked between the two, unable to hold in her hushed - and yet excited; "You like him."</p>
      <p>Regina's gaze snapped forward.</p>
      <p>"We've been through this, Tink," she responded with a weary sigh - and oh how he would have liked to be a fly on the wall for that conversation - before mumbling something that sounded like; "he smells like forest."</p>
      <p>Robin frowned, unsure if he heard right, before lifting his arm and inclining his head, sniffing to try and work out if she was referring to his deodorant or if it was an insult aimed at his natural odour. Though he cringed when he heard his name called again; of all the dignified positions to meet one's weapons dealer in, sniffing one's armpits was not one of them.</p>
      <p>…</p>
      <p>Robin mumbled an apology as he followed Edward Thatch into the back room, though if it was for barging in early, being rather unsanitary or just in general, he wasn't quite sure.</p>
      <p>"Your girl's a bit of a spitfire," the older man stated, chuckling as he walked Robin to the business end of the establishment.</p>
      <p>"Tell me about it," he scoffed, before catching up with the first half of Edward Thatch's sentence and correcting; "but she's not my girl."</p>
      <p>Robin sidestepped to accommodate the sudden elbow he received to his ribs, along with a teasing; "Not yetanyway, eh mate?"</p>
      <p>With a roll of his eyes, Robin wisely changed the topic into something not relating to his little miss hot assassin - lord knew she was becoming difficult territory lately. "So... I would have spoken in more detail over the phone, but confidentiality is very important to my employer."</p>
      <p>"Ah, I see. Well, me lips are sealed."</p>
      <p>"I appreciate that."</p>
      <p>"So..." the dealer started, clasping his hands together in front of him. "What can I do for you?"</p>
      <p>"I understand you're in possession of a DSR-1 rifle," Robin started.</p>
      <p>"I was," the man replied, looking somewhat apologetic. "I'm afraid someone else also needed that weapon today."</p>
      <p>Robin's hands contracted into fists, his jaw clenching and teeth grinding. This was bad. This was very, very bad. The DSR-1 was the best sniper rifle for the job, precise and technologically advanced - which was why his boss had specified that this was the one to be used. The thought of going back to his boss and explaining that someone else had gotten there first filled Robin with a sense of dread. He could see himself sitting at a desk doing paperwork for the next three months.</p>
      <p>No, there had to be something he could do. Perhaps he could speak with the buyer and make an offer to borrow it for a few days, hopefully they'd be amenable to helping a poor guy out.</p>
      <p>"Who bought it?" He asked, and he should have known the answer. It should have been completely obvious from the very start...</p>
      <p>"Miss Regina Mills."</p>
      <p>Robin groaned. For fuck's sake...</p>
      <p>...</p>
      <p>Robin raced out of the building, following the route he'd assume she'd take, and - by some strike of luck - he caught her just as she was opening her driver door.</p>
      <p>"Woah, hey, Regina, wait up..." he shouted, interrupting the conversation the two women were having over the roof of her Mercedes.</p>
      <p>"Robin?" She turned to him, looking rather bemused. "What?"</p>
      <p>Robin stopped, really unsure how to go about winning Regina over enough for her to loan him her gun. He decided to aim for flattery, turning on the charm and smiling as he started; "have I told you that you look-"</p>
      <p>"Cut the crap, Robin," she interrupted, obviously not buying into his sudden niceness. "What do you want?"</p>
      <p>"I want you..." he started, pausing for dramatic effect and trying not to laugh at Tink's excited 'I knew it!' before continuing; "to lend me that gun."</p>
      <p>Tink deflated, resting her arms on the top of the car and resting her head on them, muttering something that sounded suspiciously similar to; "fuck you both."</p>
      <p>Regina ignored her, raising her brow and inquiring; "The gun that I just bought?"</p>
      <p>"Yeah."</p>
      <p>"No chance."</p>
      <p>Robin folded his arms, harshening his tone a little as he declared; "I need it for an op."</p>
      <p>"I wasn't aware there was another buyer after this one," Regina replied, actually sounding less sassy than he thought she would.</p>
      <p>"Well, my boss told me to keep it under wraps."</p>
      <p>"Well, tell him that his secrecy just cost him a weapon," she countered.</p>
      <p>Robin took a step forward, resting his hand on the sleek black of the car's roof. "You tell him."</p>
      <p>"I'd rather not," she responded, switching her glare between his hand on her paintwork and his pleading face. "He's your boss, you deal with him."</p>
      <p>"If you knew him, you'd know that's not an option."</p>
      <p>"Aren't I glad that I work for myself then?" she sniped. </p>
      <p>"Well, I don't. So if you could just help me out this once?"</p>
      <p>"Now, why would I want to do that?"</p>
      <p>"Remember when you said you'd let me have George King and then killed him anyway?" Robin sassed, seeing if the guilt card could work.</p>
      <p>It didn't; she gave as good as she got. "Remember that time you almost strangled me?"</p>
      <p>"Remember all the times you've stolen my targets and put me on desk duty?"</p>
      <p>"Remember every single moment that you've been a pain in my ass?"</p>
      <p>"Wait..." Robin paused their battle of wills, exclaiming; "Me a pain in your ass?"</p>
      <p>With that, Tink opened the passenger car door and stepped on the ledge at the bottom, gaining height on both of them before shouting over the roof; "will you two stop acting like kindergarten kids and just work something out?"</p>
      <p>Both Robin and Regina quietened, looking between the blonde and each other, reluctantly easing the tension they had built between them during one of their many quarrels.</p>
      <p>"I only need to borrow it for a few days," Robin started, "after that, it's all yours."</p>
      <p>"What if I need it during those three days?"</p>
      <p>"Then I will give it back to you," he offered. "You get priority."</p>
      <p>"And you'll replace the ammo?"</p>
      <p>"With extra."</p>
      <p>Regina looked wary, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes as she asked; "And if I agree to this are you likely to ask for it again?"</p>
      <p>"Possibly," Robin admitted, before taking a look at the scowl on her face and hoping to ease it away with a joking, "would you like to draw up a shared custody agreement?"</p>
      <p>The scowl disappeared, but her glare increased ten-fold. "What do I get in return for this?"</p>
      <p>Robin stepped closer, feeling rather irritated at the hunk of metal called a car door that was between them. He lowered his voice, tilting his head as he drawled; "what do you want?"</p>
      <p>"I want you..." Regina started, leaning even closer into Robin's space and ignoring the 'thump' from when Tink's feet accidentally slipped back to the ground, then continuing; "to stay out of my way."</p>
      <p>"How about the next target?"</p>
      <p>"The next three," she countered.</p>
      <p>"Two."</p>
      <p>"Two, and you owe me a favour - no questions asked."</p>
      <p>Robin nodded. "Deal."</p>
      <p>For a few seconds after, they merely held each other's gaze with a hint of a smile on their lips. That was until Tink decided to tease; "There... That wasn't so hard now, was it?"</p>
      <p>...</p>
      <p>The best thing about knowing one's target and their schedule beforehand, was being able to scope out the possible vantage points and thoroughly plan before any activity actually took place.</p>
      <p>Skylar Azul's offices were rather shady, both in the lack-of-light respect, and in the something-fishy-is-going-down-here respect. The woman had the sense to keep her desk positioned out of the way of the window, making a clear shot from the opposite building more difficult than it had to be. The fine net curtains she'd close the moment she arrived also blocked out enough view that an extra scope might be needed, though he could buy that and then give it to Regina - hopefully that may negate the favour she asked of him, or at least allow him a little say in the matter.</p>
      <p>Though then he heard a key in the lock on the door, and any thoughts about possible favours he owed vanished with a sudden 'oh shit'.</p>
      <p>Ducking for cover behind the mahogany desk, Robin drew out the sig from the small of his back and thumbed the safety off. However, as he heard the tell-tale sign of a magazine being loaded, Robin realised a wooden desk would likely hold up for all of three seconds.</p>
      <p>So... His plan A was to shoot first, then hide behind the filing cabinet on the wall to his left if someone else came in. Though as he fired the first shot, and caught sight of three more men behind him aiming at the desk, he realised that any steps into the open would result in his body having a few extra holes in it than what he was born with. </p>
      <p>He knew his boss would be the death of him one day. Damn him. If there was such a thing as the afterlife he would haunt his ass for all of eternity.</p>
      <p>Robin waited until he heard movement before shooting again, working out the guard's position and firing over the top of the desk before the guy even knew what hit him. The other two went quiet after that, but Robin was awaiting the hail of bullets through the desk - thankful that these people seemed too stupid to work out that the furniture would not save him from rapid fire.</p>
      <p>Though he had to hand it to them; they were quiet as hell! He didn't even know one of the guards had reached the desk until there was a shadow looming over him. Resisting the urge to just fire in an arc and waste bullets fought against all of Robin's survival instincts, but knew that if he did that, he'd have none left for the other guard, and that would be it. Game over.</p>
      <p>In the few milliseconds that followed, Robin tried to work out his exact position and shoot him through the table, but just as he heard the next footstep, there was a faint whizz of a bullet flying through the window, and the man who was just about to become his executioner flew against the wall and hit it with a thud.</p>
      <p>Unable to resist his curiosity, Robin shuffled to the other side of the desk and peeked around it, trying to work out what the fuck had just happened. Aside from the dead guard at the door, and the one who had managed a few steps further, there was another guard slumped against the wall to his left, his eyes glassy and unfocussed, and a red smear following him as he slid down to the ground.</p>
      <p>It didn't take a genius to realise he'd been taken out by a sniper's shot. But Robin frowned as he tried to work out who would do such a thing, and why?</p>
      <p>In his distraction, Robin missed the last guard spot his position, immediately raising his gun...</p>
      <p>And then promptly joining his comrade on the floor with a hole in his chest.</p>
      <p>Robin paused for a few seconds, awaiting sign of any more guards - or sniper shots - before deciding to move from him position behind the office desk. Keeping low, Robin shifted towards the first guy, looked at the bullet that went through him and hit the wall. He couldn't be sure, but he was damn well convinced that this was .338 Lapua. The same kind of ammo that he had just borrowed from Regina that day. That couldn't be a coincidence. Surely. But would that mean..?</p>
      <p>Against his instinct for survival, Robin moved closer to the window, crouching beneath the sill before slowly peeking out the corner. His eyes immediately went to high ground, searching all the rooftops for any movement that shouted 'sniper', finding nothing until he reached a row of offices in the building opposite him. He only caught a glimpse of dark hair and a shadow of a woman's silhouette before she disappeared, but somehow he knew who it was without question.</p>
      <p>Regina.</p>
      <p>He didn't get chance to ponder on what the hell she was doing before he realised if he stood there much longer then he was going to miss her.</p>
      <p>He thought about double checking that the guys who shot at him were dead - as if the bullets to the chest and gaping exit wounds weren't enough - but then realised that would be a waste of time and he couldn't let Regina get away from him again.</p>
      <p>The queue waiting for the elevator would have taken two trips to clear, and so he raced down the stairs. All seven flights. Fortunately, down was a lot easier than up, and he was athletic enough that he barely broke a sweat by the time he had reached the bottom.</p>
      <p>Upon exiting the building he thought like the assassin he was and followed the route that made the most sense - out of the way, easy exit route that didn't loop back past the building... - and lo and behold, her car was just down the street from where his was.</p>
      <p>As he caught up to her, shouting her name and jogging over to meet her, he got a strong sense of repeating their meeting from earlier, hoping this one went down a little bit better. It should do. She did just save his life, after all.</p>
      <p>Regina looked rather surprised at his being in front of her, shifting from one foot to the other and placing her hands in the pockets of her leather trousers, offering an unsure; "hi."</p>
      <p>Robin smiled, intending on thanking her, complimenting her aim and offering his services in response - and ohhow he would like to 'service her' right now - but then his gaze dropped to the rear window and spotted the metal case that she had stored behind her driver seat. The same metal case they had been fighting over merely a couple of hours earlier.</p>
      <p>His glare turned accusatory as he faced to her. "You stole my gun."</p>
      <p>"No," she started, raising a finger and pausing whilst she obviously fought back a smug smirk. "I stole my gun."</p>
      <p>"We had a deal."</p>
      <p>"I don't make deals."</p>
      <p>Robin scoffed. "Well, I clearly remember you making one."</p>
      <p>"It was a lapse in judgement," she explained, looking slightly distant when she added; "won't happen again."</p>
      <p>Robin paused, trying to reign in his frustration and failing when he stated, "You're kind of a bitch, you know that?"</p>
      <p>She smiled - a smug thing he wanted to wipe off - and nodded her head.</p>
      <p>"Whatever," he grumbled. "Thanks for nothing."</p>
      <p>Her expression turned sour. "Hey! If I hadn't been there in that building you'd be dead."</p>
      <p>"You expecting a 'thank you'?"</p>
      <p>"Yes."</p>
      <p>"Thank you," he spat.</p>
      <p>"You're welcome," she replied with equal hostility. "Now excuse me."</p>
      <p>"Wait!" Robin called out, putting a hand against the car door when she tried to open it. "Why did you save me?"</p>
      <p>She leaned towards him, so much so that he wondered if there would actually be some sentiment behind her next statement. But alas, that was just a pipe dream; "I'm just not done ruining your life yet."</p>
      <p>Rolling his eyes, Robin quipped; "So charming."</p>
      <p>"I'm many things," she started, before continuing; "'charming' is not one of them."</p>
      <p>"I noticed," he deadpanned.</p>
      <p>Clearly having had enough, Regina put a hand to his chest and ordered; "Move."</p>
      <p>Wanting to make it difficult for her, Robin shrugged and placed his hands on his hips. "What if I don't want to?"</p>
      <p>"Well I'm sure you'd love to stand there and stare at my pretty face all day," she quipped. "But the fact is; I saved your life. Now do as I say."</p>
      <p>"I'd prefer it if you'd left me to die," he mumbled.</p>
      <p>"That can certainly be arranged for next time."</p>
      <p>Robin glared, delivering an unenthusiastic; "I can't wait."</p>
      <p>"Neither can I," she replied with mock cheerfulness, before using the hand still resting on his chest to push him back a few steps so she could open her car door. "Goodbye."</p>
      <p>Hell no. If he went back without the gun he had been ordered to get, his boss would have him on desk duty for the next two weeks - at least - and there would be some seriously menial tasks he'd be assigned. No way. Nope. Never.</p>
      <p>He was leaving here with that gun.</p>
      <p>Robin stepped forward and put an arm out, blocking her way into her car. "Regina…"</p>
      <p>She turned around, clearly irritated, and snapped; "What?"</p>
      <p>The intent to force her to let him have the gun faded, his plans to rile her up until she only agreed to make him go away unravelled and disintegrated before him. Behind her eyes she looked tired, weary, and Robin found himself unwilling to upset her over something as trivial as a gun when he had a feeling their reluctantly building partnership could become something much more important in the future.</p>
      <p>So he paused, changed his tactics and tried to decide if his next move would be a wise one. It probably wouldn't. But he was going to do it anyway.</p>
      <p>He smoothed his tone, softened his eyes, and delivered a genuine, heartfelt, "Thank you, for saving my life."</p>
      <p>She was obviously taken aback at the sudden change, and as she regarded Robin with her cynical glare, he tried his best to look as neutral as he could. It took a moment for her irritation to fade, but then Robin watched as her whole demeanour softened slightly too, and she answered with a quiet; "Don't mention it."</p>
      <p>He caught a smile gracing her lips, soft and genuine, and it spread onto his own face as she turned to get in her car.</p>
      <p>That was certainly a sight he'd like to see again, and if he was the one who caused the elusive, beautiful curve of her lips, then that would be even better.</p>
      <p>As he watched her drive away, he caught sight of Tink in the passenger seat, leaning to give him a thumbs up through the rear window, a clear 'you did good' in regards to Regina's heartfelt smile.</p>
      <p>And yeah, Robin mused as he realised he had just given up two weeks of field work to keep Regina happy, he did very good.</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eight guns. In a room barely fifteen metres squared, there were eight guns raised and ready to fire.</p>
<p>Robin's gaze switched from one side of the room to the other, not entirely sure what he had just walked into - and half tempted to walk back out again. But should he do that he knew that it'd turn into a bloodbath, and he'd rather not see the death of anyone standing in front of him.</p>
<p>"Put the guns down."</p>
<p>Most eyes fell to him, mainly holding a look of confusion as they tried to work out which party he was talking to. </p>
<p>"Guns down, guys, now."</p>
<p>"What? Us?" Will Scarlet spoke up from the other end of the room. "She started it!"</p>
<p>Robin sighed, looking towards Regina and the two guns she had pointed at his teammates. "Hers will follow."</p>
<p>His men sent bemused glares towards him, a few speaking up about their confused outrage at Robin's suggestion.</p>
<p>"If we put ours down she'll just shoot us."</p>
<p>"We'll be dead within seconds."</p>
<p>"Are you trying to kill us all, Robin?"</p>
<p>Rolling his eyes, Robin realised his men weren't going to lower their weapons whilst Regina was raising hers and Regina wasn't going to lower hers whilst his men were raising theirs, so he took out his gun and pointed it at Regina.</p>
<p>Now there were nine weapons.</p>
<p>"If she shoots you, I'll shoot her," Robin announced, trying not to smirk at the deadly glare she threw him out of the corner of her eye. "Now, lower your guns, and she'll lower hers."</p>
<p>It took a few seconds, but eventually his teammates lowered their guns - none of them being able to decide if they should be glaring at their leader or the woman in front of them.</p>
<p>Robin watched Regina watching everyone, spending a moment deliberating as she side-eyed the barrel aimed at her head.</p>
<p>When Robin gave her a pointed glare to remind her of their arrangement, she rolled her eyes and sighed, holstering her weapons with overly-deliberate movements and a 'see? Are you happy now?' glare. When he didn't immediately lower his gun, Regina brought her hand up to move its aim away from her.</p>
<p>Grinning, Robin stored his gun back at his waist, taking a moment to trail his eyes over the woman in front of him…</p>
<p>He had missed her.</p>
<p>It had only been three weeks since he last saw her, but he still found himself thinking of her from time to time, wondering what trouble she was causing, who was on the wrong end of her gun barrel…</p>
<p>"Are you done staring?"</p>
<p>Robin blinked, his eyes diverting to her lips as she spoke and then rising to see her eyes glaring at him.</p>
<p>"Wasn't staring," Robin started, before turning on the charm and adding; "was admiring."</p>
<p>He wasn't sure what he was expecting her response to be - some flirty insult or witty banter probably - but she merely rolled her eyes and ignored him, sounding bored and tired as she asked; "what are you doing here?"</p>
<p>If she wasn't being so catty then he'd probably have just told her why he was there straight away - the secret list of government officials willing to fund mercenary agencies to carry out a few favours - but as it were, he wanted to make life a little difficult for her. So he countered with; "what are you doing here?"</p>
<p>She wasn't playing along. She just stood there, her gaze boring into him until he decided it wasn't worth it and just gave in. "We're here for the diamond list."</p>
<p>Regina scoffed, taking a second before she became serious and gave a deadpanned,"no."</p>
<p>"Regina…"</p>
<p>"I've been searching for this list for months, and I'm not going to let a self-centred jackass take it from me," she sniped, before declaring; "if you want it you're going to have to shoot me."</p>
<p>"Wait, is this the woman who keeps stealing your targets?" John Little asked from across the room.  "The one who you said is - and I quote - 'not that bad'?"</p>
<p>Robin watched as Regina frowned, seeming to be a little taken aback. "That's actually rather... Complimentary."</p>
<p>"Yes, well, I thought I'd try to stop being a 'class A dick'," Robin gibed, watching Regina's gaze harden again.</p>
<p>"How's that working out for you?"</p>
<p>"Apparently better than your efforts to be civil."</p>
<p>"I don't need to be civil," she said after she gave him another roll of her eyes."I just need this damn list."</p>
<p>"You're not getting it."</p>
<p>"Yes, I am."</p>
<p>"No, you're not." Robin saw her open her mouth to protest, and added; "And before you argue back, remember there are seven of us, and one of you."</p>
<p>"I have taken out nine ex-armed forces with nothing but a paperweight and a tablecloth. You guys have nothing on me."</p>
<p>Robin couldn't help but feel a bit impressed at her claim; ex-armed forces made dangerous agents, and a woman so lithe as Regina taking out that many with nothing but household items was no mean feat. He had half a mind to praise her if she wasn't being so rude to him.</p>
<p>His men seemed to agree on that stance, John taking it upon himself to tell her; "You're a bitch, you know that?"</p>
<p>"At least I have some restraint at a buffet," she countered back. "How do you even fight with all of that extra weight?"</p>
<p>"Guys, that's enough," Robin snapped, having had enough of the hostility between them. Stubborn arseholes, the lot of them. "We came for this file and we're leaving with it."</p>
<p>Regina shook her head. "No, you're not."</p>
<p>"Regina, our employer needs that list," Robin ground out, before realising that going head to head with this woman to get something he wanted was only going to lead to a fight. And if anyone was going to try and avoid conflict it had to be him; he doubted Regina's ego would allow the slight vulnerability of backing down.</p>
<p>So, taking a breath, he decided to be appeal to her elusive better-nature by confessing; "Our agency's taking a battering lately, we need to replenish stocks."</p>
<p>"Boo hoo," she deadpanned. "Your agency is not my problem."</p>
<p>Robin's goodwill faded as he felt frustration bubble through him. Why did she even want this list anyway? "I thought this wasn't about money for you."</p>
<p>"It's not."</p>
<p>"Well then bloody act like it!"</p>
<p>"You guys work at an agency, you're protected. Me? I work alone and I take care of myself," she started, shutting Robin up since the thought of her wanting this list for protection hadn't even occurred to him. "I've made many enemies in my lifetime and I know for a fact that some of them are after this list. If any of them get a hold of it, they'd have all the funding and resources they'd need to kill me within a week."</p>
<p>"Ah..."</p>
<p>Robin paused, the thought of allowing Regina's enemies the resources needed to kill her making his chest feel uncomfortable. He couldn't be responsible for that.</p>
<p>"Yeah; 'ah'," she mocked. "So the only way you're getting that list is if you kill me first."</p>
<p>"Fine by me." Tuck lifted his weapon, Regina lifted one of hers, the others started raising theirs and pretty soon they were in the same stand-off as when Robin had first stumbled across them. </p>
<p>"Woah, hey, guys, guns down."</p>
<p>They didn't appear to hear him, all glaring and daring each other to make the first move.</p>
<p>Robin made it.</p>
<p>He took three steps forward and placed himself in front of Regina, taking her out of the firing line and giving his men the clear message that if they wanted to shoot Regina they'd have to shoot him first.</p>
<p>Addressing his team, Robin urged them; "put your guns down."</p>
<p>"I don't have time for this," Regina sighed from behind him, and when he angled his head over his shoulder to see what she was doing, he noted her facing the entirely opposite direction as she looked at the device on the table she was leaning against.</p>
<p>With a glare, Robin outstretched his hands and gestured for the men in front of him to put their weapons away. They did so, but with obvious reluctance written all over their faces.</p>
<p>Robin took a second to pause before he stood directly behind Regina, leaning over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of her eyeing floorplans and CCTV feeds on her tablet. Though then he became distracted by the scent of her shampoo or perfume or something her, something floral yet incredibly sensual that had him fighting not to lean even closer into her. But then he realised that now was not the time to get hypnotised by her scent, and he forced himself to focus and ask; "what are you doing?"</p>
<p>"Ignoring you," she quipped. "Leave me alone."</p>
<p>Robin gritted his teeth, starting to feel very frustrated at the way he was doing his best to help Regina, and all she was doing in return was throwing it back in his face. "Perhaps if you weren't so rude you'd have friends to watch your back."</p>
<p>"I don't need friends."</p>
<p>"Well, Tink said you worked with your 'best friend' from time to time when I last saw her. Was she mistaken?" Robin divulged, not wanting to put the girl in trouble, but wanting to encourage Regina to actually talk to him.</p>
<p>"Well, Tink needs to learn to keep her mouth shut," she growled in response. "My life is none of your business. Stay out of it."</p>
<p>He didn't quite know what had happened, but Robin had the feeling that he was practically back to square one with this woman. Or even further back than that; at least when he first met her she would actually crack a smile or try to distract him with something flirty. Now she was just... Hostile.</p>
<p>With a sigh, Robin realised that if Regina really didn't want any help, then it was useless to try and encourage her to accept it. Though he decided to try one last time before he considered it a lost cause and started to work out other ways to get his hands on the Diamond List.  He just hoped his final, proverbial olive branch panned out in his favour.</p>
<p>"Do you need any help?"</p>
<p>Robin held his breath, waiting for her to either shoot him down or accept his offer - though it occurred to him that he'd never been so eager for someone to work with him, and he should really work on playing it cool lest she figure out the unexplained effect she had on him and use it to her advantage.</p>
<p>She did neither of his predictions - he should have expected as much - and merely turned to him with a frown on her face as she asked; "What?"</p>
<p>"In collecting the file?" Robin clarified, trying to look sincere.</p>
<p>"So you can just steal it from me? I don't think so."</p>
<p>"No stealing. I promise."</p>
<p>"So let me get this straight..." Regina started, turning to face him and folding her arms. "You've gone from 'I'll shoot you to get that file' to 'can I help you destroy it?' in a matter of minutes? What the hell?"</p>
<p>"Have you taken anything, mate?" Will Scarlett asked, a few men nodding in agreement before Alan Dale offered his suggestion of their leader having 'fallen down some stairs?'.</p>
<p>"Well, at least we can agree on something," Regina mused, chancing a glance at the men once poised to shoot her.</p>
<p>"If we're not going to get the file, the least we can do is make sure nobody gets it, right?"</p>
<p>John Little folded his arms. "And when boss-man wants to know what happened to it?"</p>
<p>"When we got here it was already destroyed," Robin stated, receiving a round of incredulous looks from his teammates.</p>
<p>"You want us to lie to him?" Brian Tuck asked, and Robin was half tempted to laugh at the look of shock on everyone's faces.</p>
<p>"Bloody hell, mate," Will scoffed. "That's a sure-fire bullet in the noggin'."</p>
<p>"Only if we get caught," Robin countered, before pointing out; "he hasn't worked out that Regina's taken at least six of my targets, $50k of his funding and his specialist rifle yet."</p>
<p>He saw Regina gaze at him from the corner of her eyes, her expression unreadable - but not hostile. He would have commented on it if John hadn't gibed; "Only because you're a sucker for a pretty face."</p>
<p>Robin's eyes met Regina's. Yes, she had a pretty face - a gorgeous face, even - but it wasn't that; the thought of Gold getting his hands on her just seemed to make him uncomfortable inside. He wouldn't be responsible for that. She may be a pain in the ass, but she was his pain in the ass - and he wanted her to remain breathing.</p>
<p>"I doubt his oversized ego could confess to losing to a woman," Regina quipped, but the way her mouth twitched in an effort to hide a smirk had him repressing a smile of his own. That was more like the Regina he knew; a mixture of sass and wit and insults she softened with a sultry look.</p>
<p>When she turned back to her work, the smile grew on his face anyway.</p>
<p>His gaze travelled over her for a few moments, admiring the slight curl of her hair, the leather jacket, silk blouse, skin-tight jeans, stiletto boots... How did she always look so damn sexy? It should be a crime.</p>
<p>Forcing himself to turn away before he got too wrapped up in his thoughts, Robin turned back to find all of his men staring at him. The smile on Robin's lips dropped as he waited for them to say something, and when they didn't he raised his brows to prompt them.</p>
<p>And promptly regretted it.</p>
<p>None of them said anything, but the rude, suggestive gestures they all started throwing his way had Robin's eyes rolling so hard that it hurt. </p>
<p>He was about to tell them where they could stick it, but then an alert was sounding behind him and his attention was drawn back to Regina.</p>
<p>"What is it?" He asked, not having the time nor viewpoint to work out what the flashing red words said, but whatever it was had her ignoring him, cursing under her breath as she started packing her things.</p>
<p>"Need any help?" Robin offered, but she was already tucking away her tablet and guns, preparing to leave.</p>
<p>"Nope." Regina took a few steps towards the exit, before she turned back to him and glared to deliver a warning; "And if you fuck this up, I'll fuck you up, got it?"</p>
<p>"Got it." Robin bit his tongue, fighting to not make a lewd response because if only she knew all the ways he wanted her to fuck him up.</p>
<p>Though a knowing smirk appeared on her face, and she stated; "it's hurting you not to make an inappropriate comment, isn't it?"</p>
<p>"It's killing me," he admitted, delighted to hear her chuckle before he shooed her off; "Just leave."</p>
<p>She left the room with a grin on her face, and Robin counted that as a victory. He'd do a little fist-pump if it weren't for the six men currently staring at him.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>They all remained silent, but there were half a dozen patronising grins aimed at him. Robin averted his gaze with a roll of his eyes. Bastards.</p>
<p>It was then that he noted a black handbag, tucked out of the way against the wall, and despite the usual suspicion that came with an unoccupied bag, Robin couldn't help the flicker of recognition. He had seen this before, somewhere.</p>
<p>Somewhere...</p>
<p>Somewhere like in the back of Regina's car after she had stolen his DSR-1 rifle - that she had technically bought, but details, details...</p>
<p>"Want me to shoot it?" Brian Tuck asked with a chuckle, "see if it goes boom?"</p>
<p>"Do so at your own risk," Robin quipped. "That's Regina's."</p>
<p>Robin almost laughed at the way all the men simultaneously took a step back - as if a leather bag was going to attack them.</p>
<p>She could need that, Robin thought. There could be weapons and tech in there.</p>
<p>He knew she had her gun and tablet with her, but that was not a huge arsenal for taking a file from a secure vault in a secure building. Though, he also reminded himself of her 'paperweight and a tablecloth' claim.</p>
<p>He could wait in the office lobby with it for when she was finished. He doubted she even needed a gun as her weapon; she was her weapon.</p>
<p>If there was anything he had learned about Regina, it was that she could take care of herself.</p>
<p>..*..</p>
<p>Of all the annoyances and grievances in the world, a full bladder was definitely up there behind toothache; the constant pressure, the occasional sharp pain, and the complete lack of a comfortable position to be in. Obviously, a full bladder was avoidable if one would just go to the restroom, but John Little was putting off hitting the head for a good reason; any moment now someone was going to ask Robin if he was screwing this 'Regina'. And he couldn't miss that.</p>
<p>They'd mentioned her briefly, skirting around the exact nature of their relationship and watching Robin trying to disguise the fact that he was practically a lovesick puppy already. They could see the allure; a gorgeous woman who understood the assassin lifestyle and could obviously hold her own. But from what they had seen she wasn't exactly the nicest of people, and John was still waiting for the opportune moment to tell Robin she was no good. He deserved better.</p>
<p>John's fingers tapped on the chair he would be seated in until Regina returned, trying not to concentrate on the building pressure he was going to have to relieve any moment.</p>
<p>In the end it became too much and he left anyway, hoping to god that nothing juicy was said whilst he wasn't present. It wasn't that he was a gossip, per se, he just needed to know what was going on - purely out of concern for his friends, of course. His teammates didn't seem to appreciate his investment in their wellbeing; they didn't even hear his announcement that he was 'just gonna hit the head' - honestly, he could have been going anywhere - and he was half tempted to give them the middle finger as he walked away.</p>
<p>To say that the restrooms were signposted, it was quite difficult to get to them; a left turn here, a right turn there, a short walk down a hallway that - with a full bladder - felt akin to climbing Mount Everest.</p>
<p>But eventually he got there, and he wasn't even ashamed of the relieved sigh he let out the moment he stood in front of the urinal. The men standing along the far wall giving him odd looks could go and take a hike for all he cared. He felt like flying with relief.</p>
<p>It was strange how something so simple as having a piss could put a smile on someone's face, but here John was; making his way back to the office lobby with a content grin from ear to ear. If it wouldn't have drawn attention to himself he probably would have been tempted to skip to his teammates.</p>
<p>As it was, he walked like he worked there, blending into the staff around him and even offering an acknowledging nod now and again. See? Despite what his friends said he could definitely pass as a normal human being.</p>
<p>The next corridor he went down he was surprised to see Regina again; he had presumed she'd still be in the process of taking the Diamond List - even though it wasn't hers to take, he thought with a grumble. Though she was currently in a discussion with a security guard, and despite the sensible thing to do of just walking away and finding another route back, he couldn't help but take a few steps closer to work out what was going on.</p>
<p>The guard had noticed one of Regina's guns. He wasn't entirely sure how - even John couldn't spot them - but it would be incredibly difficult to explain away the possession of a firearm in a building with checkpoints at every entrance.</p>
<p>Though she was certainly having a good go.</p>
<p>He should just walk away. He should find another way back to his friends and pretend that he had never even seen her - or say that he had caught her leaving, so he and his friends could exit and avoid questioning in case they looked into Regina's movements. But he could hear the rising tensions in their voices as the situation slowly escalated, and despite how much of a pain in the ass the woman was, there was nothing worse than having to deal with someone demanding attention when one was on an operation.</p>
<p>Now there was a complication in what he should do; John doubted that this woman was worth the trouble he could get into, but on the other hand, Robin had obviously taken a shine to her, and leaving Regina in a spot of bother without even trying to help would likely win him Robin's Grudge Number 1 position - which, considering his line of work, would be quite the feat.</p>
<p>He looked towards his new, intended route back to the lobby, then back towards Regina, his head tilting this way and that before he let out a frustrated growl and resigned himself to risking his anonymity because of a woman he didn't even like.</p>
<p>Heading back down the corridor towards the restrooms, John stopped in front of a door he had seen marked with an engraved metal plaque depicting 'Supplies Closet', trying the handle and being pleasantly surprised when he didn't even need to pick the lock.</p>
<p>He hung around the entrance for a few moments as he made a plan, pretending to check his phone whenever someone walked past until he had a general exfiltration strategy.</p>
<p>It wasn't too long before a security guard was making his way past him - presumably to help the guard currently toe-to-toe with Regina - and John thanked the heavens that this man was a similar height and build to him. Possibly even on the larger side.</p>
<p>He nodded at the bald man as he walked past, even having the guile to offer a smile as he took inventory of the guy's weapons on his utility belt.</p>
<p>Stealth attack was obviously the best option here.</p>
<p>John waited until the man was a few paces past him, and then with a well-aimed strike to the jugular, he rendered the guard momentarily unconscious - just long enough to drag him into the supplies closet without alerting any other passer-by. Once there, he set to work relieving the guard from his uniform and donning it himself.</p>
<p>He hit his head twice on a metal shelf, knocked over five cartons of cleaning solution, almost stepped in a bucket, and had a fight with a mop, but in a few short minutes, John was almost the typical picture of a company security guard.</p>
<p>As he tied his hair back and placed the black cap on his head, he sighed and muttered; "the things I do for Robin."</p>
<p>Luckily, by the time he had strolled back down the hallway, Regina and the other security guard were still in a heated discussion - though it looked as if it would ignite any second.</p>
<p>"Excuse me," he started, walking over to them. "Is there a problem here?"</p>
<p>It was always the first moments of infiltration which were the most important; would anyone notice something was amiss? Would they work out they weren't who they said they were? Would they draw attention to their concerns?</p>
<p>Fortunately, this security guard seemed so wound up by Regina that he barely glanced at John before stating; "this woman is carrying a sidearm within the building, and that cannot be allowed except for security staff."</p>
<p>"Regina, right?" John asked, hoping that she could see he had a plan and just rolled with it.</p>
<p>She seemed to be playing along, affirming that was her name with a nod and a muttered 'uh-huh'.</p>
<p>The guard looked between them both. "You two know each other?"</p>
<p>"Regina's one of the new hires; covert security surveillance."</p>
<p>"I wasn't aware we had extra security..."</p>
<p>"Covert security. That's the whole point; it's to make sure that everyone is behaving appropriately, even the guards," John explained, grateful to see the man's doubt start to fade. He took a punt and added a conspiratorial; "you know what this company's like."</p>
<p>"Bunch of bloody paranoids, the lot of 'em," he quipped, and both John and Regina let out subtle, relieved sighs. "As long as we get paid though, eh?"</p>
<p>"Indeed," John agreed with a hearty chuckle, surprised to even see a smile on Regina's face - she did have a pretty smile, he could admit that much - but then again; she was just playing the part.</p>
<p>"Anyways, I'll let you get on with your business," the guard announced, deliberately tapping his nose in a useless gesture of secrecy before he left to continue his patrol.</p>
<p>John had already started to walk away by the time Regina turned back to him, and no sooner had he taken a few steps than he heard a second pair of feet catch up to him.</p>
<p>"What was that about?" she asked, and John found pleasure in riling her with a lack of an answer.</p>
<p>He stood outside the supplies closet containing the blacked-out guard and his clothes and merely told her; "keep watch for a minute, will ya?"</p>
<p>He was too busy starting to unfasten the buttons on his shirt to see Regina's look of outrage, but he knew she'd be there when he got back out; she wanted answers, and it would not be wise to have this conversation through a door.</p>
<p>Sure enough, when he emerged - with remarkably fewer incidents this time - she was still standing there, leaning against the wall and in the process of sending a text - of which he neither had the view nor interest to try and sneak a peek.</p>
<p>When she noticed him she repeated her previous question; "what was that about?"</p>
<p>He started walking away again - just to test her, and call them even on the annoyance front - but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back with remarkable strength considering her size and his weight. </p>
<p>She tried a different angle, asking; "What are you even still doing here?"</p>
<p>"You left your bag upstairs, we figured we'd give it back to you in the lobby..."</p>
<p>"Oh... Well, I guess you saved my feet from climbing a flight of stairs."</p>
<p>"You're welcome..." he deadpanned, with a roll of his eyes.</p>
<p>Regina stayed quiet for a moment before inclining her head towards where she and the security guard had been, and inquiring; "Why'd you do that?"</p>
<p>"A friend of Robin's is a friend of mine."</p>
<p>"I'm not..." she started, before frowning and trailing off. She paused a moment before shrugging and trying to appear indifferent as she muttered, "It's appreciated."</p>
<p>"You're welcome," he said, though with a touch more sincerity than previously.</p>
<p>It was then that he took a moment to observe her, and she didn't seem as harsh anymore; less like a caged animal ready to tear everyone apart and more like an actual human being.</p>
<p>"You seem different..."</p>
<p>"Different?"</p>
<p>"Not such a bitch anymore."</p>
<p>"Thanks," she deadpanned.</p>
<p>"What changed?" John asked. She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant and avoiding his inquisitive gaze. He put the pieces together anyway; it was the only thing that made sense. "I saved you."</p>
<p>"I'm used to getting myself out of tight situations, I don't need 'saving'-"</p>
<p>John rolled his eyes as he interrupted her; "I won't bother next time then."</p>
<p>"If you would have let me finish..." She raised a brow and gave him a pointed look. "I would have continued to say; I don't need saving but it was nice that someone had my back."</p>
<p>He raised his own brow, expecting more, and continuing to wait until she added a reluctant; "thank you."</p>
<p>John beamed. An actual 'thank you' from this woman was obviously not commonplace, and he felt the need to add it to his resume.</p>
<p>They were silent for a few seconds, long enough for awkwardness to creep in, before John broke it.</p>
<p>"He likes you, you know?" The man asked, waiting for Regina to look at him before he elaborated. "Robin: I've seen the way he looks at you."</p>
<p>It was almost comical to watch Regina struggling for something to say, opening her mouth and then closing it again until she uttered an unsure, non-committal, "okay".</p>
<p>"I'm just saying. You should probably trust him a little more."</p>
<p>John watched as she visibly tensed, and the easy atmosphere was gone. "I don't easily trust people."</p>
<p>"In this business, trust is in short supply. You'd do well to have friends on your side, and I personally vouch for everyone on my team."</p>
<p>"I work on my own, and I have a couple of contacts in case I need back-up," Regina stated. "It's served me well so far."</p>
<p>"Well, perhaps if you started trusting people, you'd have more of a team at your back."</p>
<p>"I've trusted people before and been betrayed, got burned," she confessed, obviously hoping he'd drop the topic. "And trust builds a connection. In my life there's nothing more dangerous than a loved one."</p>
<p>"Robin's not like that; he's an honourable man,"  John assured her. "And we're his friends, our loyalty is to him first, our boss second. You don't have to worry about us betraying you like that."</p>
<p>Regina nodded, but John could still see that she wasn't to be swayed. It was likely that she had spent years avoiding getting close to people, it wasn't a surprise to note a few words couldn't change her mind. Though he still felt the need to propose an offer of protection: "We're like a family unit, you know? Always watching each other's backs."</p>
<p>Regina scoffed. Not exactly the reaction John was expecting.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>She met his gaze for a moment before starting to walk away, mumbling, "nothing."</p>
<p>John followed after her, reaching for her arm - and promptly letting go when she turned to glare at him - before prompting; "Go on, what?"</p>
<p>She paused, weighing up her words before saying; "I think we both have very different experiences of family."</p>
<p>John turned to look at her, half-afraid to ask; "How so?"</p>
<p>"Your backs are watched," she started, before trying to appear detached as she admitted; "my back was belted."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry..."</p>
<p>"Don't be," she assured him, before she gave a wry smile and quipped; "we all have some kind of fucked up backstory, don't we?"</p>
<p>"Oh yeah, I'm a right bunny-boiler, me," John teased, bringing forth a chuckle from the both of them.</p>
<p>They walked in comfortable silence for a moment before John admitted; "you know, you're not as bad as I thought you were... Sorry for almost shooting you."</p>
<p>"Same goes for you, I guess." Regina leaned closer to him and lowered her voice; "but if you breathe a word of this conversation to anyone, I will kill you."</p>
<p>"Well, that'd be terrible..." John exclaimed in an overly dramatic fashion. "Half of the all-day buffets would go out of business."</p>
<p>They paused for a second, holding back laughter until they caught each other's eye and it broke free.</p>
<p>With the ice completely broken and a proverbial handshake offered, they were on their way back in companionable silence to Robin and the gang.</p>
<p>..*..</p>
<p>"Are you screwin' her?" Will Scarlet had asked not thirty seconds after John had left - partly because he knew how much it would annoy the man to have just missed out on the gossip, and partly because he simply couldn't take not knowing anymore. He was met with several glares and an elbow from either side, but he paid them no mind. "What?! We were all thinkin' it, I was just the only one brave enough to say aught."</p>
<p>Despite the men chiding Will's tactfulness - or lack thereof - they all turned to Robin for an answer.</p>
<p>With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Robin admitted; "No, I'm not 'screwing her'."</p>
<p>The five men looked at him as if he had grown a separate head.</p>
<p>"Oh…"</p>
<p>"Really?"</p>
<p>"Why not?"</p>
<p>Robin ignored them, picking up a complimentary newspaper from the table next to his armchair and pretending to flick through it in order to try and avoid questioning. But he could feel the men's eyes on him, attempting to intimidate him into answering.</p>
<p>"She's a pain in the ass," Robin stated, not much of an answer to anything, but hopefully something that would mollify them.</p>
<p>"I'm sure you'd be the pain in the ass, mate," Will joked, a few men laughing at the crudeness and the others warily watching Robin for his response.</p>
<p>"Ha. Ha." Their leader deadpanned, pushing down the urge to defend Regina's honour lest his men have further material to tease him with - though he couldn't lie and say his thoughts had never travelled down that route; she certainly put the ass in assassin, and he was a hot-blooded male after all.</p>
<p>"Tell us one thing," Brian Tuck started, "just so we know that you're not completely doolally..."</p>
<p>Robin peered at them over the newspaper, warily eyeing Tuck with a questioning; "yes?"</p>
<p>"You'd be down if she asked, right?" Tuck didn't even let his boss answer before he added; "...because if not then you're either blind or gay - and I'm pretty sure she'd even turn a few of the latter."</p>
<p>"I…" Robin started, intending to protest, but then he took note of the knowing glares sent his way and realised there was no use. He let out a resigned sigh. "Have you seen her?"</p>
<p>"Indeed we have, mate." Alan paused, before adding; "And we've seen you."</p>
<p>Robin froze, not understanding their meaning. "I beg your pardon?"</p>
<p>"You're sweet on her," Brian Tuck mocked. "Our little Robin's got a crush."</p>
<p>"He goes all heart-eyed when he talks to her..." </p>
<p>"And he stares at her way too intently," Will noted. "She probably doesn't even steal your targets; she flutters her eyelashes and you just hand them over to make her smile."</p>
<p>Robin rolled his eyes, ignoring the onslaught of comments regarding his admiration of Regina. It was true; perhaps he looked upon her with an eye of favour, but that didn't excuse his grown-ass teammates turning into highschool assholes and taunting...</p>
<p>"Robin and Regina sitting in a tree..."</p>
<p>"K-I-S-S-I-N-G."</p>
<p>He almost shot them there and then. It'd be worth getting arrested. But as it was, movement in his peripheral vision distracted him, and he ground out; "Guys, shut up."</p>
<p>"We're only teasing, mate, " Will assured, grinning and high-fiving Tuck the way they always did after drawing a reaction from their leader.</p>
<p>"No, seriously, shut up," Robin ordered, his eyes flicking over to the entrance to his left; "she's here."</p>
<p>In all due respect, the men quietened their teasing instantly, probably too busy staring at Regina and John walking back with a new air of familiarity about them. Robin would have laughed if he wasn't confused by the same thing.</p>
<p>"Anyone else seeing this?" Tuck muttered under his breath, his answer only coming in the form of stupefied nods.</p>
<p>"Y'all alright?" John asked the moment he returned, taking his seat opposite Robin.</p>
<p>Five of the men turned to look at John as he got comfortable on the green sofa, staring at him as if he was about to turn into a flying monkey any second. But Robin's attention was captured by red lips and brown eyes and dark curls framing a gorgeous face...</p>
<p>"John said you have something that belongs to me?" Regina asked, raising her brow when it took Robin a few seconds to realise she had actually spoken to him - and was expecting a response.</p>
<p>Robin nodded before reaching down for the black, leather bag by his feet. He handed it over, watching the corner of her mouth curve upwards in a smile before her attention was drawn away by John Little asking her to accompany them to a bar for a drink.</p>
<p>There was a little bartering between them, both John and Regina providing reasons for their respective 'yes' or 'no', and Robin watched as Regina's defenced lowered little by little - until she looked mere seconds away from agreeing.</p>
<p>His eyes trailed over her a little more, roaming over the beauty of her profile and the shape of her figure before he spotted the corner of a folded up piece of paper sticking out of the side pocket of the bag she had slung over her shoulder. Robin reached out, intending to just push it back, but then he saw 'Re' and part of a 'g' messily written in red wax crayon on the front, and his curiosity had him niftily pulling it out and into his lap.</p>
<p>He started to open it, gently unfolding until the small square turned into a larger rectangle, anticipation building inside of him as he wondered what sentimental item Regina could find so important to risk keep on her person. He just had time to comprehend it was a child's drawing before he heard a cold; "What do you think you're doing?"</p>
<p>Robin raised his head to see Regina glaring at him, her eyes dark and deadly, and the sudden, drastic change in her from the woman about to go for a drink with him and his friends made him stumble over his words. "I... I was just-"</p>
<p>Without waiting for his response, Regina reached down and snatched the drawing away from him, leaving Robin's hands left with nothing but the sting of twin paper cuts on his palms. But before he could even wince, she had grabbed his hands and pressed them into the bitterly cold metal handles of his armchair, keeping them there with her weight. She leaned forward, so close to his face that he could feel her breath ghosting over his cheeks, and despite all of his training and everything he had been through, Robin felt a vague twinge of fear take root inside of him, knowing any person whom Regina had interrogated would have certainly been put through hell first.</p>
<p>The woman before him seemed an entirely different entity from the one in his mind whenever he thought of Regina, it was as if a switch had been flicked and she was now in her assassin mindset - and directing her simmering rage towards him.</p>
<p>That vague twinge of fear spread through his veins like wildfire.</p>
<p>"Never go through my things again. Got it?" Regina growled, and at that point, Robin would have agreed to anything to get back his bantering, teasing, Little Miss Hot Assassin.</p>
<p>He nodded, but Regina merely continued to glare at him until he verbally answered; "Got it."</p>
<p>"You're going to forget about what you just saw," she declared, her voice low and threatening. "And if I find out that anyone else knows about this through your actions, I will destroy you if it is the last thing I do. Is that clear?"</p>
<p>Robin started to nod but then remembered that Regina preferred verbal responses to her threats, so he paused, met her gaze and replied; "crystal."</p>
<p>"Good." She spent a few more seconds glaring at him, and then straightened, throwing a 'forget about the drink' to the men behind her before storming away.</p>
<p>It took until the clack of her heels faded completely before Robin released the breath he had been holding, letting it out along with the tension held in his every muscle.</p>
<p>"You fucked up, Robin," John stated, and there were agreeing nods from the men sat with them.</p>
<p>"I'm aware," Robin snapped back, flashing to Regina's cold, guarded eyes and the lack of anything but danger behind them.</p>
<p>He had royally fucked up. He just hoped it hadn't cost him his head.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Robin had been sat on his sofa trying to work out why he worked for such an arsehole for over half a hour now. He'd been staring at the clock on his mantelpiece, following the second hand as it tick-tocked in circles as he mulled over his reasons. And so far all he had come up with was: money. <br/>And with the way things at the agency were going, with their botched ops and loss of funding, even that was probably going to decrease soon. <br/>Yes, he also needed to gain experience, acquire skills, and get into contact with the lowest of the low in his attempts to find his son, but he could get that at any agency - even as an independent contractor - so he wasn't entirely sure why he worked for Gold specifically.<br/>But for all the aspects of Gold that made Robin want to wrap his hands around his boss' neck from time to time, he was definitely the type of man who kept to his word. Something Robin respected. And so if the business deal his boss had offered involved blackmailing for ransom, then his client would get their money. If he promised a customer to eliminate an enemy, then they would get what they asked for. And if he vowed that Skylar Azul would be shot by his best marksman within three weeks, then Robin was damn well going to shoot her before the end of the month. <br/>But the three week deadline was now in three days, Robin couldn't get access to the weapons he needed, and the agency didn't have the budget to fund an under-the-table agreement. <br/>So… An impossible op with mediocre weapons and little time to prepare. <br/>Fantastic. <br/>He needed help. Extra funding, or resources, or even another agent. Just something to give him an edge. <br/>If Regina hadn't taken that damn list - if he hadn't given it to her - then he wouldn't be in this mess. <br/>Wait. Regina…<br/>Would she…? <br/>She could help. Admittedly, she probably wouldn't, but it was worth a shot anyway. Surely?<br/>Though how to get in contact with her… He'd never actively sought her out before, she usually knew the moment he least wanted to see her and showed up. Now that he actually wanted her…<br/>Tink. <br/>Tink could put him into contact with her. A journalist was a lot easier to find than an assassin. And he had earned brownie points with the intelligence he gave her the first time they met. <br/>She'd help him. <br/>He was sure of it. <br/>Mostly.<br/>...<br/>He found Faye’s details from when he sent her the details on Rosina Leckermaul – the one now dubbed throughout the whole country as ‘blind witch’ due to Faye’s catchy headline – and found several contact numbers. <br/>He tried her work first, but when a boy who sounded fresh out of school told him she wasn't in today, he went for the mobile number. <br/>She answered on the third ring. <br/>"Yo, this is Faye," she greeted. "What's up?"<br/>"Tink?"<br/>"Robin?" She shouted, sounding pleasantly surprised - before she started heading into questions. "What are you calling for? Is everything okay? What happened?"<br/>"Everything's fine, don't worry," he comforted. "I was just wondering… Do you know of any way I can get in contact with Regina?" <br/>Tink was quiet for a moment before she slyly asked; "You want Regina?"<br/>Not thinking of the repercussions, Robin answered; "I do." <br/>"Ha! Gotcha," she teased, sounding too proud of herself at tricking him into an admission. She certainly acted like a journalist, Robin mused.<br/>He rolled his eyes and sighed, raising a hand to rub at his forehead. "I meant in an operational sense."<br/>"Uh-huh… Is that what they're calling it now?" <br/>"Tink…"<br/>"What is 'operational sense'? Is it a date? Sex? Marriage?" She paused, and for a moment Robin thought that was the end of it. But then another idea came to her and she gasped before asking: "A baby?"<br/>"Tink… You're being ridiculous," Robin sighed, his patience growing a little thin. "I have a job to do, and I'd like some extra support. Now, can you put me into contact with Regina or not?" <br/>The woman on the other end of the phone seemed to deliberate it, no doubt working out what she could get in return for helping him out. But then Robin heard someone else in the background, and Tink's voice became muffled as she covered the microphone to talk to them. <br/>He still managed to make out her 'I'm on the phone'.<br/>There was a pause whilst the other person presumably responded - Robin assumed it was to ask who it was that she was talking to. But he was a little confused when he heard; "Loverboy."<br/>'Loverboy'? Why would the response be 'loverboy'? He wasn't anyone's loverboy. He didn't want to be anyone's loverboy. Why on Earth would Tink even call him that? Unless she was teasing…<br/>Regina. She was there. <br/>And Robin would bet his life on her levelling a glare at Tink right now - probably the same one he had on his face. <br/>There was scuffling and movement from the other end of the receiver, and then it went quiet before he heard: "Robin?"<br/>"The one and only," he responded, unable to help the quirk of his lips at Regina's voice. <br/>"What do you want?" she snapped. But Robin felt grateful that her tone was at least a little less hostile than the last time she spoke to him.<br/>Biting the bullet, he blurted out; "Your help."<br/>Regina went quiet, and Robin had the vague notion that he had stunned her into silence. <br/>"I'm not in the habit of working with people who don't respect my privacy," she said after a pause.<br/>"Tink is a journalist,” Robin pointed out. “She’s a walking, talking invasion of privacy. Her job depends on it."<br/>"Tink doesn't steal things that don't belong to her," Regina countered, obviously still irate that he had peeked at the drawing from inside her bag. <br/>"Look, I'm sorry," Robin apologised. "I didn't mean to overstep."<br/>"Well, you did. Now leave me alone."<br/>"Wait!" Robin called out, hoping to stop her before she hung up. "I really need your help."<br/>"Get someone else."<br/>"Regina, my boss is going to kill me if I don't get this done."<br/>"Literally?" she asked, sounding sceptical.<br/>"Would that make a difference?"<br/>"Not really."<br/>So she didn’t mind if he died… That was a comforting thought. "Regina..."<br/>"I'm not a gun for you to hire, Robin," Regina explained. "I'm busy."<br/>"It'll only take three days, maximum, and I already have a plan." <br/>"So what do you need me for?"<br/>"It'd just work better as a two-man op," he explained. "And Skylar Azul is a difficult person to keep track of, I just need-"<br/>"Wait," Regina interrupted him. "Skylar Azul? That's who your target is?"<br/>"Yeah, I tried once before but someone got in the way..." Robin hinted, before he remembered how she had saved his life that day – perhaps he shouldn’t be too harsh on her. "I won't ask for-"<br/>"Okay."<br/>Robin paused, thinking he had misheard and wanting to double check that she had said what he thought she had. "'Okay'?"<br/>"Yeah. I'll do it."<br/>Narrowing his eyes, Robin couldn't help but let suspicion seep into his tone as he asked; "Just like that?"<br/>"Do you want my help or not?"<br/>"Yes!" Robin exclaimed, before clearing his throat and trying to play it cool. "Yeah, I do."<br/>"Right then. Where's the meet?"<br/>"528 West Brompton Avenue," he answered, still recovering from Regina's complete 180. "Half hour long enough for you?"<br/>"Make it 45 minutes," she amended.<br/>"Got it." Robin paused, before asking; "Anything else?"<br/>"Nope, that's it," she answered. <br/>Robin thought over his plans, and opened his mouth to inquire 'is there anything else you want to know?' before the call went silent, and he realised she had already hung up on him.<br/>Something told him the next few days would be testing. <br/>...<br/>After checking in at the hotel on Brompton Avenue, Robin made his way outside to wait for Regina on the street, perched on the uncomfortable railing surrounding the pavement. He managed a few moments of looking at the green leaves on the trees lining the road and enjoying the warm, summer air, but then restlessness got a hold of him and he was playing Fallout Shelter on his phone - whilst keeping a watchful eye out for his 'backup', of course.<br/>He remembered the Mercedes he'd seen her in, thinking that she'd possibly be driving up in that, but he also kept an eye out for taxis (and also occasionally glanced up the one-way street in case she was approaching on foot). <br/>It turned out that it wasn't any of those things. But he should have known that Regina wouldn't do what was expected. When did she ever?<br/>He had heard the sound of the engine first, letting out an appreciative whistle before he realised the car was actually coming his way. His eyes landed on the immaculate, black bodywork, following the sleek curves that could only belong to a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray as it sped towards him. <br/>He stood up when the car pulled up just in front of him, briefly entertaining the notion that the owner was allowing him to admire this beauty…<br/>Damn that was one sexy car. <br/>But then his eyes fell to the occupants and his jaw dropped slightly. <br/>Regina was in the passenger seat, carding her fingers through windswept hair in an attempt to tame it, pushing dark sunglasses further up the bridge of her nose with a rare smile on her face.<br/>A blonde woman sat in the driver's seat. Not Tink; even sat down he could tell this woman was quite a bit taller than Regina. And she was far more deadly than the bouncy reporter he had come to like: it didn't take a genius to work that out. <br/>Though despite her 'don't fucking touch me' aura, she turned to Regina with a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Be careful."<br/>With a good natured roll of her eyes, Regina picked up an overnight bag from the footwell; "yes mother…" <br/>"Call me that again and I'll burn you alive." <br/>The two women chuckled, and Robin had to step back as Regina opened the passenger door and climbed out. <br/>"Call me if you need anything," the blonde ordered, before her gaze hardened as she reiterated: "anything at all."<br/>"Thanks, but you know I've got this."<br/>With a raised brow and a skeptical 'mm-hmm', the mystery woman gave Robin a first - and last - glance before she pulled out and sped away. Robin couldn't help but let out another appreciative whistle at the sound of the engine as it faded away. <br/>When Regina turned back around to him, her customary mask was in place and a trace of her smile was nowhere to be found.<br/>She was still pissed at him.<br/>Great.<br/>The next few days were going to be fun…<br/>She must have noticed his staring; rolling her eyes, she strolled past without a second glance. <br/>"Nice to see you too," Robin mumbled under his breath before he caught up with her, almost crashing into her back when she suddenly stopped. <br/>"'The Majestic'?" she asked, seeming rather unimpressed with the hotel they were staying at. "What kind of pretentious bullshit title is that?"<br/>"Just shut up and get inside," Robin responded, his patience already wearing thin. If they both survived this it would be a miracle. <br/>"Do we have a coronation when we check-in?" Regina quipped as they were walking through the entrance corridor. <br/>Admittedly, there was an air of superiority about the place, the too-big chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and the glass cabinets as they walked in housing trinkets which looked far too expensive to be in this particular hotel. <br/>"Already got our room."<br/>Robin made his way into the elevator, purposely inserting his room card and pressing '3' before Regina got there so she had to hurry before the doors closed. <br/>Was he being overly petty? Yes. But if Regina wanted to make his life difficult then she could be damn well sure he'd return the favour. <br/>When they reached the room, Robin held the door open for her - but couldn't resist the exaggerated sweep of his arm and a teasing 'after you, Your Majesty'.<br/>The glare she threw him was worth it. <br/>Robin saw Regina pause inside the door, and he rolled his eyes as he assumed she was judging the room too. But then he saw the reflection of her awed smile in the window, and the comment he intended to be biting came out as a softer; "is this suite to your satisfaction, Your Majesty?"<br/>He watched in the reflection as she schooled her features before she turned back to him, shrugging and trying to appear indifferent when she commented; "it'll do, I guess."<br/>But the smile was back on her face when she turned around again. <br/>He made his way to her side, catching her eyes in the window's reflection, and this time she knew he had caught her smiling.  <br/>"What?" she asked with her glare back in place.<br/>"You like this room."<br/>"It's… bigger than I'm used to."<br/>"I've heard that before," Robin couldn't help but quip, looking rather smug until Regina scoffed. He put a hand to his chest, faking pain; "I'm wounded."<br/>"You'll live," she deadpanned, arching a brow. "Before you decided to tell cheap one-liners, I was going to tell you that I work on commission, and so I don't tend to book rooms like this unless it's necessary for my cover."<br/>Robin paused. It was the most information she had ever volunteered about herself, and he needed a moment to recover before he suggested; "well then, by all means, enjoy.”<br/>Robin moved to put his bag down, watching out the corner of his eye as Regina walked over to the window, staring out at the green trees lining the road below them. <br/>He hated to disturb her, but he couldn't help the urge to take her bag from her shoulder and place it next to his - if she packed items anything like he did her shoulder would be aching soon. <br/>She appeared startled when he stepped towards her, flinching when he reached out, and Robin slowed his movements as he hesitantly reached for her bag. <br/>Assassins were jumpy by trade - quick reflexes saved their lives after all - but for some reason, the fact Regina was nervous in his presence affected him. <br/>"You alright?" Robin asked.<br/>"I'm fine," she responded, handing over her bag and watching as he placed it next to his. <br/>"You sure?" <br/>She didn't answer his question; instead responded with one of her own. "Do you have your laptop?" <br/>Robin nodded, unsure as to where she was going with that. But then she started walking over to the lounge area, hidden behind an alcove in the far right corner of the room. Robin followed and found her sitting on the grey couch to the right, staring at him as she silently demanded he take a seat. <br/>With a huff, he made his way to the matching armchair opposite her, placing his laptop on the coffee table between them.<br/>He was suddenly struck with one of those ‘god she’s beautiful’ moments, the sunlight was reflecting off of her hair, illuminating her eyes, and for a moment he just sat and stared at her, taking in her beauty. <br/>Of course, then she decided to open her mouth and ruin his train of thought; “are you quite finished staring at me? We need a plan of action.” <br/>Determined to continue matching her annoyance factor, he responded with a simple; "I'm thinking Chinese food."<br/>The unimpressed glare she sent him brought a smile to his face - but in all fairness, he was rather hungry.  "I'll order delivery, what do you want?" <br/>"Is there a menu for me to look at?" She asked - patronisingly, as if she was talking to a child.<br/>"Of course." <br/>Despite his answer, he made no move to give it to her. Technically he had answered her question, and she had walked straight into that one. <br/>With her patience obviously running thin, Regina huffed. "Give me the damn menu." <br/>Robin arched a brow and teased; "Ask nicely.”<br/>"Give me the damn menu before I hit you."<br/>"Not exactly what I was after," Robin commented as he reached into his jacket pocket for the paper menu he had swiped from the reception earlier.<br/>"Yes, well, life's full of disappointments," Regina sniped as she stole the leaflet before Robin had even sat back in his seat. <br/>"Aren't you a barrel full of laughs?"<br/>"Part of my charm," she deadpanned without looking up from the options in front of her. "I think I'll have the Sweet and Sour Shrimp, with Egg Fried Rice." <br/>She handed the menu back to Robin, and Robin could feel her eyes on him as he considered his own choices. The Beef Chow Mein sounded nice, but then again… Beef Chop Suey… <br/>No, Chow Mein it was. Chow Mein and Egg Fried Rice. Or Special Fried Rice… <br/>Groaning at his indecisiveness, he decided to ring up and make a decision whilst on the phone. <br/>He decided on the Chow Mein and Egg Fried Rice in the end, ordered it under the alias Sean McCartney to the corner of the street, where he’d pay in cash: just to ensure he wouldn't leave a crumb trail. <br/>He left the room with a silent glare at Regina, a wordless ‘don’t touch my stuff’ that he hoped she abided by whilst he was gone. In the time it took to wait for the order, collect it from the delivery guy, and walk back to the hotel, his mind had come up with all the things Regina could have done. <br/>She could have gained a fair bit of intelligence from the contents of his bags, she could have rigged up a gun to fire the moment he stepped into the room, she could probably have hacked into his laptop and stole all the information on it… <br/>He had worked himself up into such a snowball effect that he was considering drawing his weapon to enter his room. <br/>But even if he had a hand free to hold his gun, he didn’t know how Regina would react to having a weapon pointed her way. <br/>As it turned out, he needn’t have worried; Regina was just sat by the window in the lounge area, typing away on her phone as if she hadn’t even moved. <br/>“I got food,” Robin called out, holding the bags up when she looked over.<br/>There was an expectant pause whilst neither said anything else, and then Regina gestured to the table in front of her, “well, bring it over here then.”<br/>“Yes, your majesty,” he quipped as he made his way over. “Anything you say, your majesty.”<br/>She didn’t say anything, but her glare spoke multitudes, and Robin daren’t annoy her again before she had eaten - lest he die a painful death. <br/>He set the cartons down, fishing through the paper bags for chopsticks and napkins before he retook a seat on the grey, cushioned chair. <br/>When unpacking their meals, they both took out a carton, peeked inside, and then held it out to the other person. They also found three fortune cookies that had been included in the bag, gold foil packets with a red dragon and 'Wok's' on the front. Once they had finished eating, Robin took one, and gestured for Regina to take another. <br/>After cracking his cookie, Robin read out his fortune; "Annoyances may talk. Listen to them."<br/>With a smirk, he set it down and then made a show of giving Regina his undivided attention. Even his quick reflexes were no match for the cushion Regina threw at him, and he tucked her ammunition behind him with a chuckle. <br/>Then he asked Regina to read hers. <br/>With a roll of her eyes, Regina broke her treat and read the words on the paper in her hand. <br/>"Stop searching! Happiness can be found right in front of you." <br/>She looked up and her eyes met his, their gazes locking as something passed between them. But Regina didn't let it hold; she soon broke the contact, glancing down and teasing, "must be referring to the food."<br/>Robin let her have that one, a little too stunned from their unspoken moment to fathom a response. <br/>"You can have the last one," Regina declared, nudging the remaining cookie over to him. <br/>"Share it?" Robin offered, starting to open the gold packet. <br/>Regina raised a brow in bemusement. "Share a fortune?"<br/>"I take this half, you take that half, we break it, and whoever gets the fortune keeps it," Robin explained. "Let fate decide what happens."<br/>Despite the roll of her eyes, Regina still leaned forwards, her fingers brushing his as she grasped her half of the cookie. <br/>"3… 2… 1…" Robin counted, closing his eyes as he pulled his arm back towards him, his competitive nature wanting to see a strip of paper in his hand when he opened them. <br/>His half was empty. Instead, he saw Regina popping half the cookie in her mouth as she unfurled the slip of paper between her fingers. <br/>"Go on, Regina," Robin started. "What does fate have in store for you?"<br/>Her eyes scanned the words in front of her, and Robin didn't even get to know what they were before she was scrunching the paper in her hand and throwing it to land in the waste basket at the other side of the room.<br/>"What did it say?" Robin inquired, wondering what had caused such a reaction. <br/>"A load of bullshit," Regina deadpanned, starting to clear away the cartons. <br/>Robin recognised from her tone that it was time to drop it, but he couldn't help the curiosity taking route. <br/>…<br/>Once everything had been cleared, and they’d both unpacked the necessities, Regina declared she was going for a shower, telling him that when she got back they were discussing plans whether he liked it or not. <br/>“Want to save water?” Robin joked, enjoying the fire in her eyes before she rolled them. <br/>He was aware that playing with fire would get him burned, but he simply couldn’t help himself. He didn’t mind a little flame, it was actually one of the reasons he was so attracted to her; she kept him on his toes, and wasn’t afraid to go head to head with him. She was his equal, in every way.<br/>He was actually looking forward to working with her - even if there were times he wished she was a little easier to get along with, or even just listened to him a bit more. But alas, this was Regina - and from their first meeting he knew she was a handful.<br/>...<br/>Whilst she was in the shower, Robin decided to get his plans ready, taking out blueprints and background information for when they discussed their method of action. But his eyes ended up being drawn to the waste paper basket next to the table, catching sight of the scrunched-up fortune laying in the centre. He shouldn’t…<br/>His resolve lasted mere seconds before he was reaching down and collecting it. <br/>Checking over his shoulder that Regina wasn’t somehow behind him - even though he could still hear movement under the shower spray - he unfurled the paper, reading what Chinese fate had told her. <br/>'Your life will be happy and peaceful'<br/>Robin felt his heart drop. 'Bullshit' is what Regina had said. Was she really in that much doubt that things would get better for her?<br/>He didn't really know her situation. Only knew that she was an assassin with few reserves about beating someone to a pulp - and yet didn't do it for the money… Of course he knew that there were personal things about her, a few friends that she kept, and a child's drawing that meant a lot to her, but anything deeper than that was a mystery to him. <br/>Even so, Robin could clearly see that she had good in her, a sense of morals and ethics. A killer with a conscience. And as much as she had made his life difficult, she deserved more than a hopeless outlook on her future. She deserved to be happy. <br/>A part of him wanted to be the cause of that happiness, wanted to show her that joy can be found in even the darkest of places. But long term was not something he could guarantee, and she deserved someone who could give her that. <br/>Nevertheless, he was still going to try and instill some hope in her, try to make her smile whenever he could, and as he started working out how to do exactly that, he was entirely unaware he’d just become a self-fulfilling prophecy. <br/>…<br/>When Regina returned, towel drying her hair and dressed down in an oversized shirt and leggings, she walked over to the separate seating area, settling on the grey sofa and eyeing the streetlamp-illuminated trees in front of the window.<br/>She looked so different like this; with casual clothes and no makeup. She looked… human. Like a passerby on the street who had a normal life, and a normal job.<br/>“Come on. We’re discussing plans.”<br/>Right. Plans. For their not-so-normal job.<br/>Recognising that fighting her on this would mean certain death, Robin turned around his laptop and blueprints of the hotel so she could easily read them. <br/>They worked out an emergency exit, a rendezvous point, and a codeword in case one of them was under duress. <br/>Then Robin divulged his plan. <br/>Skylar Azul would be at an auction that was invite only. Security would be high on the entrances and exits, but lesser inside the building. He had been to one of these shindigs before, early in his career with Gold’s agency - he’d had to acquire DNA and fingerprints from one of the attendees, to this day he still didn’t know why. He’d had to mingle, pretend to be as stuck up as the rest of them, but it had been worth the higher clearance level and extra bonus. <br/>His plan was to take a similar route this time too; get into the auction, lure his target away, complete the task, and then feign illness and leave. <br/>But the locations for these events were secret and invite only. So in order for Robin to know where to go, he had narrowed down a list of those most likely to be attending, and had tracked them down. The only one he was pretty much certain would be invited, and with such a small team of security that he could actually get close to them, was here in this hotel for the weekend. <br/>Robin told Regina of his plan to lure him into the Gents’, knock him out, and then search his room until security realized something was wrong and searched for him (searching would go so much better with a second pair of eyes). The invite would be on a burner phone, which would have been given out to the attendees a few weeks in advance.<br/>Robin was hoping that by the time anyone realised something was amiss, it would be too late to do anything about it. <br/>It was a sound plan in his mind, a couple of things that could go wrong but nothing disastrous. But once he’d finished telling Regina of his plans, he found himself slightly nervous to see her reaction. He was aware different agents had different methods of operation, he didn’t know what her agency had taught her - or even if she had ever worked for one. Though, to his surprise, she was purely in business mode; not interested in knocking him down in the slightest, just interested in the easiest way to complete their mission. <br/>Regina brought Robin’s laptop over to her, her fingers typing at the keyboard as her eyes scanned the screen in front of her. A moment later her lips quirked in a smile.<br/>Robin warily gazed at her, eyes squinting as his mind ran with what she was thinking. “What?”<br/>Her eyes lifted from the screen, and she bit her lip before stating; “I have a couple of alternatives.”<br/>"Alternatives?" Robin asked. "Was there something wrong with my suggestions?"<br/>“If you knock the guy out and steal the phone, he’d know something was wrong and could inform those heading to the auction. They’d cancel it in seconds if they thought they’d been compromised,” she began, and to be fair she had a good point. “And at the auction, we’d likely have attention drawn to us since we’d have to mingle, people would remember our faces.”<br/>Robin sat back in his chair, folding his arms and tilting his head.“Go on then, what would you suggest?”<br/>“Instead of going as guests, we could go as staff.”<br/>Robin frowned. “Staff?”<br/>“Working there would grant us the anonymity we need,” she confirmed. “Those stuck up bastards are too busy trying to sidle up to the richest person in the room to line their wallets instead of focussing on who’s serving them food and beverages. That would also grant us access to places guests aren’t allowed, and we’d arrive at a time when security is lax and there’s less chance of us being scrutinised too closely. Plus; our backgrounds aren’t vetted as much as the guests, so a quick hack can have us in there in no time.”<br/>Robin had to admit; that sounded a lot more efficient than his plan. <br/>Though Regina had even more to offer: “And instead of knocking out your target, wouldn’t it be better if he didn’t even know anything had happened?”<br/>“Of course it would, but how would that work?”<br/>“I distract him while you search his room,” Regina offered. “That way I can let you know if any of his security leave his side and you can get out in time.”<br/>“Okay, that’s genius,” Robin admitted, smiling when Regina’s cheeks blushed pink.<br/>"So, I just think…" Regina started, but Robin held a hand up to halt her.<br/>"Whatever you suggest." <br/>"Wow." Regina looked impressed as she teased; "you actually listened to me." <br/>"Well, Chinese fate says I should listen to the annoyances in my life," he sassed. "And so I am." <br/>Regina glared before looking behind her for another cushion to throw, but Robin had them all on his own chair, resting his arms over them as he waggled his brow. <br/>"Next thing being aimed your way is my gun," she quipped.<br/>Robin let his eyes trail over her attire, there was no obvious place for her to be carrying her gun, and as he met her gaze he asked the silent question; ‘what gun?’<br/>Regina smirked, crossing her legs and raising a brow. “I’m full of surprises.”<br/>His throat went dry as he imagined just where she was concealing a weapon, and that was his concentration officially shot for a while. <br/>“And on that note…” Regina stood from her chair, making her way over to the wardrobe where she’d hung some of her clothes. She tossed something black over her shoulder, and Robin saw a flash of red in her hand before she disappeared into the bathroom. <br/>Well then… <br/>But then the door opened again, and Regina’s head poked around the corner. “Could you pull up the security feeds of the bar?” <br/>Robin scoffed; “You think I can’t hack into a hotel’s cameras?” <br/>“No, but I’ve already done it for you,” she replied, with a hint of sass in her tone that Robin grumbled at. “I just need you to watch over it on your laptop and let me know what our target is doing.” <br/>With a sigh, Robin pulled his laptop towards him, spinning it so he could see the screen and then looking for the security videos she had conveniently hacked into. <br/>Once Robin had found it in the many tabs he had open, he yelled to Regina that he’d found it. There wasn’t a response, but he half expected that anyway. Now all he had to do was spot the guy he’d come here for. <br/>It wasn’t hard for him to do; Frederick Gaston was someone who stood out amongst every crowd. Everything Robin had learned about him made him want to punch him in his throat. He was arrogant, selfish, and a bit of a dick. The fact that Regina was going to have to spend time with this guy had Robin grumbling, maybe he could just go with his original plan of knocking the guy out. God knows he’d actually enjoy that bit. <br/>But no, Regina knew what she was doing, and this made more sense than his plan. He still needed to find him first though. Robin’s eyes scanned the footage, flicking from person to person as he mentally crossed them off. But then he spotted him, sat at a table in the corner with three other women sat around him, laughing at something he’d just said. His security detail was obvious; a guy at the bar who was nursing a drink, two guys sat one table over with nothing in front of them, and another guy stood by the door. Honestly, they may as well just be wearing neon flashy signs that said ‘I’m a trained killer’. <br/>Speaking of trained killers, Robin heard the click of the bathroom door lock, and out stepped Regina. The first thing he noticed was that she’d changed, and his immediate thought was how that was completely unnecessary; she didn’t need to get dolled up to distract this guy. Hell, she could be dressed in a bin bag and be sexier than everyone in the room – as cliché as that sounded. <br/>Though when he saw how she was dressed, he saw exactly why she’d changed; before, she’d likely have to drop a few lines to get the guy interested, now, he’d be eating out of her palm the moment she walked in the room. <br/>She was dressed to kill. Her curves in a simple, black dress with a plunging neckline, hair elegantly pinned up with a few loose strands framing her face, smokey eyes and deep red lips – the same red colouring her velvet clutch and shoes…<br/>If he didn’t know how deadly she was he’d be drooling over her already - as if he wasn’t trying to pick his jaw up from the floor anyway. <br/>Noticing his obvious staring, Regina crossed her arms. “What?” <br/>“You look…” he cleared his throat. “You look nice.”<br/>“‘Nice’?” She repeated, looking somewhat offended. Her voice dropped lower as her expression turned sultry: “I was aiming for utterly fuckable.” <br/>Robin cleared his throat again, eyes quickly skimming over her as he added: “that too.” <br/>His gaze must have lingered longer than he thought, as when he met her eyes again, Regina looked thoroughly amused. “See something you like?” <br/>“Yeah,” Robin admitted, seeing no reason to lie. <br/>Her smirk turned into a smile, and there was a poor attempt at a wink on her behalf - though in all fairness it was so adorable that Robin couldn’t help but smile back. But then her teeth sank into her lip and she lowered her gaze, and suddenly this was no laughing matter. <br/>He needed a distraction before he did something stupid - like walk over there and kiss her senseless.<br/>“I found the guy on security feeds,” he announced, pointing towards his laptop before shoving his hands in his pockets. <br/>Regina’s smile faded as she nodded, and Robin cursed himself as he watched her slip back into her guarded persona.<br/>She walked over to the screen, chewing her bottom lip as she observed her target. <br/>“You sure you’ll be okay?” Robin couldn’t help but ask, wanting to let her know they could work something else out if she didn’t want to meet this guy - but without making her feel as if she had given up. <br/>Regina nodded her head and then turned to face him. “Robin… Most men just want a pretty woman to sit in front of them and listen, humour them; ‘yes, your life is so unfair’, ‘Gosh, you’re very brave’, ‘I wish I had a man like you’…” she listed, making her voice light and airy, putting on a pout. “And they fall for it every time. Oh, the male ego: so gullible.”<br/>Robin would feel affronted if he hadn’t been on the receiving end of her charms. He had certainly been distracted by her when they’d met in that hotel bar, so much so that he had almost forgotten to kill his own target. She was damn good. In fact, she could probably run this whole op by herself. <br/>She’d even brought her own tech.<br/>Whilst he’d been musing, Regina had walked over to her bag and taken out a small, black case. Unzipping it, she’d picked out a set of earbuds and handed one of them to Robin. “Our comms,” she’d explained, tucking one inside her ear. “Tap once to turn on, twice to turn off. These are only one way; so you’ll be able to hear me, but I can’t hear you.” <br/>“Right.” Robin nodded, placing his own in his ear. <br/>“Give me your phone.” <br/>Robin handed it over, leaning to peer at the screen as she typed her name and number in the contacts. “I’ll let you know if any of his posse leave, but if you manage to find it before then, text me.”<br/>As he took his phone back, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of having a way to contact her. It was probably a burner phone that she’d get rid of after this op - as was his - but it was still her offering something of herself. He typed a quick ‘hey’ and sent it to her. “If you need help, you can text me too, you know..” <br/>There was a quiet ‘bzzz’ from the other side of the room, but neither Robin nor Regina’s eyes moved from each other’s. <br/>“You sure this is okay?” Robin asked.  <br/>“Robin…”<br/>“I know you're capable of this, I don’t doubt that. But are you sure you don’t want to come up with another way?”<br/>“Are you like this with John? Or your other male coworkers when they decide to seduce women?” Regina asked, not even waiting for an answer before she continued. “Because I don't think you are.”<br/>“Regina…”<br/>“So instead of treating me like the weaker sex, perhaps have a think about why this is the easiest option; simply because of where men do their thinking.”<br/>Her eyes flicked down to his crotch, then back up with a ‘so there’ expression, before she walked over to the laptop to do a final check, leaving Robin to feel thoroughly chastised. <br/>“Give me a couple of minutes, then you can head to his room,” she stated. “There’s a master key card in your pocket.” <br/>Robin frowned, patting his trousers until he located that which she was talking about. Reaching into his back pocket, Robin pulled out a blank, white card, wondering how the hell that got in there. <br/>“When did you..?” He started, too confused to finish his question. <br/>She only smirked in response. “I told you; I’m full of surprises.” <br/>Shaking his head, Robin let out a soft chuckle. <br/>This woman… <br/>“Right, I’m going to head down to the bar,” Regina started. “Do me a favour and don’t take too long?”<br/>Robin nodded, not wanting to leave her with the target longer than necessary. “Regina…” Robin trailed off when she fixed him with a glare, an obvious warning against asking if she was still okay with this. “Take care of yourself, okay?”<br/>She nodded, then opened the door and left. <br/>Robin gave her a moment before he walked over to the laptop, watching on the footage and waiting until he saw her strolling into the frame. <br/>She walked straight to the bar, avoiding Gaston completely, and Robin wondered if she was going to get a drink first. But only a few seconds later, Gaston had sent away the women at his table and had made his way over to Regina. Sucker. <br/>“What’s a beautiful lady such as yourself doing all alone at a bar?” Robin heard over the comms, and immediately rolled his eyes. That was the line he opened with? Really? <br/>“I was meant to be meeting with someone,” Regina started, her voice slightly more higher than normal, more ‘damsel in distress’ than ‘capable killer’. “But… I don’t think he’s going to show…”<br/>“Well… he’s a fool,” Gaston declared. “Any man would be privileged to be in your company.” <br/>“Thank you.”<br/>It was then that the bartender came over and asked if they were ordering, and when Regina ordered a glass of house rosé, Gaston immediately took the bait and offered to pay. <br/>Satisfied Regina had him reeled in, Robin made his way out into the corridor, ready to find Gaston’s room.. <br/>He could still hear their conversation as he found it, Gaston’s cheesy lines and Regina’s responses filled with false innocence. It was enough to make him pull nauseated faces - reminiscent of the ones he used to pull at school. <br/>Rolling his eyes, Robin inserted the blank key card into the door, smirking when the red light turned to green and he could push the handle to enter. <br/>Full of surprises indeed. <br/>Gaston’s suite was even more lavish than theirs, and as Robin’s eyes scanned from left to right, he realised finding a small burner phone in this mess was going to be a longer task than he originally thought. <br/>“Sorry, Regina…” he muttered, before making a start at the table next to the door. “I know you said not to be long, but if you could see this, you’d understand.” <br/>There were things of Gaston’s here, there, and everywhere. The table Robin was at had seemed to be designated the ‘hair care’ table, with bottles of oils, gels, sprays, and things Robin didn’t even know what to do with laid on top of it. But there was no burner phone to be found.<br/>“Right then,” Robin turned, moving on to the main table in the middle of the room, littered with papers. It only took a quick pat of the crumpled sheets to deduce the phone was not under there, and a quick check under the table showed nothing there either. <br/>There was a loud laugh in his ear, and Robin jumped with his hands balled into fists, accidentally hitting his head on the underside of the table. He had forgotten the comms unit existed for a moment, too busy tuning out the sound of unnecessary voices whilst he concentrated on completing the mission. But he was incredibly aware of Gaston attempting to get into Regina’s pants now. <br/>“You look incredibly sexy tonight, by the way,” he’d said, and by the sounds of it, he’d leaned in close to whisper it into her ear. <br/>“Do men seriously think that works?” Robin asked aloud. “Are women just going to go ‘oh well in that case, do me right here’? Jerk.” <br/>Though Regina was more diplomatic in her response, choosing to respond; “you’re not so bad yourself.”<br/>Robin rolled his eyes and pretended to gag. “Regina, this guy is such a tool.” <br/>Choosing to ignore whatever Gaston said next, Robin made his way over to the two settees and checked behind the cushions. People could hide things in stupid places, he had to be sure that Gaston wasn’t one of those people. <br/>Despite Robin’s low opinion of his intelligence, Gaston seemed to have avoided the usual places to hide things. He’d gone on to check the kitchenette, and the bedroom, all whilst navigating protein shakes, clothes, and hair products scattered all over the rooms. The only place left now was the en suite, and somehow Robin couldn’t see why anyone would hide a phone near water. Let alone someone such as Gaston. Surely that would be a recipe for disaster.  <br/>When Robin opened the door he was met with a concoction of smells; an aftershave, a spray deodorant, some kind of minty toothpaste, and perhaps some shower products too. It was a far cry from their bathroom. Admittedly, only Regina had used it for a shower, but she hadn’t created half the smell that Gaston had, and it was certainly more pleasant than here. And from what he had seen of Regina’s stuff when she was unpacking, she had a wider selection of bathroom products than Gaston did. Three bottles for hair, two bottles and a scrunchy thing for her body, all manner of cosmetics, perfume, hairspray… and yet she hadn’t smelled the room out. It had been a nice subtle scent, a soft, delicate touch of flowers that just made him want to get closer to her. <br/>“You smell nice,” Gaston said, appearing to have the same thought. <br/>Regina laughed, the cute, girlish giggle that had men like him thinking they were charming when they were anything but.<br/>“Oh Gaston, you fool…” Robin smirked, “you’re being played.” <br/>“How about we go somewhere a little more private?” Gaston suggested, obviously completely unaware of the production he was an unwitting participant in. <br/>“Maybe later?” Regina offered. “I was actually about to get another glass of wine.” <br/>Robin scoffed, “sounds like you’re going to need more alcohol to deal with this guy.” <br/>Fortunately, Gaston paid for another round for them both, biding Robin even more time to find this bloody phone. <br/>His gaze fell to the mirror, or more specifically; the dozen postits stuck around the mirror. Notes written in messy handwriting such as ‘you can do this’, ‘you are legendary’, ‘you can have anything you want’, ‘you have the most handsomest face in all the world’... <br/>Robin rolled his eyes - a seemingly common occurrence when dealing with this guy - and suddenly he became sick of the voices in his ear. <br/>“If you want, I could give you a ride in my Ferrari?” <br/>“Oh, of course he’s got a Ferrari,” Robin mocked. “He can have anything he wants, apparently.” <br/>“Perhaps some other time,” Regina responded. “I still have some wine left.” <br/>“Most people don’t say no to me,” Gaston had said, a slight warning in his tone, and alarm bells started ringing for Robin. His hand rested on the door handle, ready to get out and downstairs if Gaston even so much as tried to force himself on her.<br/>But Regina had lowered her tone, presumably given him one of those sultry looks that render people dumbstruck, and stated: “I’m not most people.”<br/>Fortunately, Gaston had laughed, a chuckle sounding from low in his throat as his threat melted away. “I like you. And before this night is out, I’m going to have my wicked way with you.”<br/>Robin couldn’t listen to this anymore, he just couldn’t. He’d rather be caught by Gaston’s men than have to listen to a moment more of this. <br/>So he double tapped the bud in his ear, turning off the device and revelling in the blissful silence. <br/>God that man loved the sound of his own voice. <br/>He’d turn it back on again in a minute, he just needed some time without that man’s voice in his ear - lest he change plans and go down there to shoot him. <br/>He spent a moment or two just stood there with his eyes closed, taking deep breaths as he made the most of the peace and quiet. When he felt as if he had himself under control again, he reached up to his ear, grimacing as he tapped the comms unit and let Gaston back into his head again. <br/>“It’s just so unfair… I’m a nice guy and yet women won’t give me a chance. They’d rather go for men who are practically beasts in comparison…” <br/>Now… Robin wasn’t fully aware of Regina’s views on society, but he was pretty sure she’d be biting her tongue to stop from saying anything at that one. She’d made it clear earlier that women should be treated equal to men, and no doubt she’d protest against the so-called ‘friend-zone’ that men seemed to put themselves in. <br/>Fortunately, Regina was saved from having to respond; Gaston turned focus back to her with a sly, “of course, you could have any man you want…” <br/>Robin was sure this would lead into her being asked if she wanted him, but Regina threw a curveball with a mischievous: “Who says I don’t want women too?”<br/>Gaston let out a low groan before muttering; “that’s so hot.”<br/>Robin rolled his eyes, feeling the urge to punch this guy more with each passing second. How disrespectful could one man be? <br/>Apparently very, and suddenly Robin got a second wind to complete their mission - if only to get Regina out of there.<br/>“Right, where would a class A douchebag hide a phone?” He wondered aloud, gazing around the room. He only had a few shelves and cupboards left of the ensuite to get through. It wasn’t looking promising. <br/>Of course, this would go easier if he didn’t have to listen to Gaston spinning whatever lines to try and get Regina back to his room. But alas, the man was nothing if not persistent. <br/>“Wow, your skin is so soft.” <br/>Robin frowned, feeling an uncomfortable weight in his stomach at the thought of that man touching her. <br/>“Play your cards right and I’ll let you touch higher than just my knee,” Regina responded, though Robin could detect a trace of annoyance in her tone. It seems he wasn’t the only one left uncomfortable.<br/>“Hang on, m’dear. I don’t have a lot left to search.” With renewed motivation, Robin opened cabinets and rummaged through shelves. “Though if you accidentally break his hand, or his face, I would totally support you.” <br/>He wasn't jealous. Not really. He just hated that the sleazeball at the bar could place a hand on her knee, could whisper things in her ear, and believe he was in with a shot. <br/>She didn't deserve to have to put up with a man like that. What was he thinking letting her go ahead with this plan? Yes, she had been the one to suggest it, and refused the option of finding another way. But that didn't mean she should have to deal with that nob downstairs. <br/>Her laugh sounded over the comms, and although the man with her laughed alongside her, Robin knew that wasn't her true laugh. She was quieter, more reserved, her amusement sounding from low in her throat as if she was trying to push it down. Not that high, girlish giggle she was currently making. <br/>A possessive part of Robin wanted to claim that laugh as his own. Let the dickhead downstairs have the giggles, let him have the false swooning. Robin would give up a lifetime of fake admiration for a single, genuine smile of hers. <br/>"You hopeless romantic," Regina giggled over the comms, and for a moment Robin panicked that she could hear his thoughts. But then he heard Mr Perfect Hair deliver another line about how her eyes were like chocolate, and Robin sighed in relief - and then rolled his own.  <br/>In a desperate attempt to find the phone, Robin’s eyes quickly scanned the bathroom again. He really didn’t want to have to do another circuit of the whole suite. It had to be here. Somewhere...<br/>Whether it was a miracle or just dumb luck, Robin didn’t know, but there was a distinct ‘bzz bzz’ sounding from the sink mirror. <br/>With a triumphant smirk, Robin’s fingers gripped the mirror’s edge, pulling it away from the wall and unhooking it from the fitting. <br/>There were not one but two phones taped to the back, and Robin’s smirk turned into a grin as he pried them away. Fitting that a man as vain as Gaston would stash phones away behind a mirror.<br/>Though which one were they after? The small, silver flip-phone, or the black one with a number keypad?<br/>The display on top of the silver one flashed with an envelope and ‘3 new messages’, and Robin was no expert on auction invites, but he was pretty sure the inviter didn’t send three follow-ups. So the black one it was. <br/>With this phone being cheap and completely disposable, it was also lacking in safety features, and so Robin was able to go straight into messages and find the location they needed without much hassle. <br/>He forwarded the message to his own burner, making sure to delete it from Gaston’s ‘sent items’ and put the two phones back exactly how he found them. <br/>With a grateful sigh, Robin tuned back into the chatter in his ear - he wasn’t exactly sure when he’d tuned out, but from the sounds of it, it was a wise decision. He just caught the tail end of some story Gaston had spun; “...and I just knew I had to go back in. Those puppies needed me, I had to save their lives.” <br/>“Gosh, you’re so brave,” Regina had simpered, an obvious exaggeration that Robin wasn’t sure she’d get away with. <br/>But Gaston had simply used it to inflate his ego. “It’s just who I am.” <br/>Robin smirked at the knowledge he’d been reeled in, hook, line, and sinker. <br/>“Idiot.”<br/>But now there was a dilemma, because he had the location. He should text her, stick with the plan, not cause any trouble, but a part of him wanted to go downstairs and kick the smugness out of the douchebag. <br/>He shouldn’t. He really shouldn’t.<br/>But he really wanted to.<br/>And so, against his better judgement - and Regina’s plan - he made his way down the stairs and towards the bar. <br/>Okay, so maybe he wouldn’t physically lay his hands on him, but he wanted to swoop in and show him that Regina was never his to begin with. Let that tosser deal with not getting what he wanted for once in his life.<br/>He saw her at the bar, sipping her drink whilst Gaston regaled yet another tale - something else rather heroic and completely made-up, no doubt - and made his way over. <br/>He put on a show of pretending to recognise Regina, a gasp to draw Gaston’s attention his way and a hand over his mouth in feigned surprise.<br/>“Oh my god, it’s you…” he breathed. “It’s been so long, how are things?” <br/>Regina turned to him, glare hardening, and even though she didn’t say a word, her eyes spoke multitudes. Perhaps this wasn’t the best idea after all.<br/>But he was no quitter, and Gaston’s smug, punchable face was still right there...<br/>“Ryan, Ryan Cole, from University, remember?”<br/>“Ryan, of course,” she said, going along with it but not without a layer of ire in her tone. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” <br/>“Well, I saw you at the bar, and thought this guy was being a bit of a sleaze,” he commented, enjoying the affronted look on Gaston’s face out of the corner of his eye. “I thought I’d whisk you away.” <br/>“Excuse me, we were in the middle of something,” Gaston ground out through his teeth.<br/>“Were you?” Robin asked, making it clear he didn’t believe him. “She’s far out of your league, mate. Jog on.” <br/>“Now look here, ‘mate’-”<br/>Gaston stood, squaring up to the man who dared challenge him, but Robin just put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into his seat, leaning forward to speak in his ear. “You’re going to leave this hotel, leave this town, and not make any further attempt to pursue the woman in front of you. Understood?”<br/>“Do you know who I am?” Gaston asked, obviously preparing to spin some story about his impressive background. <br/>“Yes I do, and I know you’ve made quite a few enemies.” Robin enjoyed the way Gaston withdrew, losing his puffed chest and bravado. “I have some friends in low places: one call from me and they will find immense pleasure in breaking that handsome face of yours. Am I making myself clear?” <br/>When there was no verbal response, Robin pulled back a little to see Gaston nod. Loosening the grip on his shoulder, Robin stood straight. “Good man.”<br/>His gaze fell back to Regina, who was watching them both in puzzlement. <br/>“Come on, milady,”<br/>Regina’s face pulled into a frown, and she looked to Gaston, presumably awaiting him to protest. When he merely nodded and slunk off his barstool, leaving the two of them alone, she turned to Robin and whispered; “what did you just do?”<br/>“Took him down a notch,” he smirked. “Come on.”<br/>He held out his hand palm up, letting her use it to gracefully step off of the stool that was slightly too high for her stature. <br/>“Do you realise what you’ve just done? He’ll recognise you anywhere now.”<br/>Robin smirked. “That’s the point; he won’t bother either of us again.” <br/>“Robin…”<br/>“Honestly, it’s like you feel sorry for the guy.” Robin leaned down to whisper in her ear: “You can always go back and make it up to him…”<br/>The shudder than ran through her said enough. “I’ll pass.” <br/>Without further ado, she strolled past him and headed straight for the elevator, leaving Robin increasing his pace to catch up with her. <br/>The elevator ride was silent, lest the corny music playing and the automated voice listing off floor levels. <br/>The woman next to him was unusually quiet, and Robin had the slight feeling he had pushed his luck with the stunt he had just pulled.<br/>“Are you alright?” He asked, resisting the urge to nudge her with his elbow.<br/>His answer was her customary ‘fine’ and so he didn’t push any further; just followed the motions of getting off of the elevator and heading back to their suite. <br/>The moment they got back inside their room, Regina made a beeline straight for the bed, sitting down and letting her shoes drop off her feet to land anywhere they wanted. <br/>“Please tell me the auction location isn’t far.”<br/>He thought of teasing her, but she looked so weary that pissing her off might lead to his immediate demise. So he made the wise choice of giving her a straight answer for once; “It’s not even half hour away.”<br/>She let out a sigh, then her fingers curled over the edge as she lowered her head, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths in the quiet of her room. <br/>Robin couldn’t help but be concerned, walking over and standing before her as he figured out what to say. <br/>But the next moment she’d opened her eyes, gaze quickly snapping up to him as she levelled him with a glare. “Don’t do that!”<br/>“Do what?”<br/>“I have quick reflexes and a lifetime of looking over my shoulder; sneaking up on me is not a wise move if you want to live.”<br/>Ah.<br/>“Gotcha,” Robin affirmed. “I was just… You look… Are you sure you’re alright?”<br/>She brushed his concern off with a wave of her hand and another ‘fine’, before standing and stating; “I’m going to have a shower and get changed.”<br/>He almost commented 'another one?', but then he remembered the sleazy hand on her knee as she drank wine, and Robin felt the need to have a shower himself. <br/>He couldn't let her go yet though, wanting to say something to lift her mood and bring a genuine smile to her lips. “You look beautiful tonight, by the way,” he stated, trying to convey with his eyes just how much he meant it. <br/>She didn’t smile, instead she just looked at him - really looked - and he felt so nervous under her gaze that he conceded and looked away first. <br/>Though he could still feel her eyes on him. <br/>Feeling scrutinised, Robin tried to distract her, asking; “How many outfits have you packed?” <br/>“I have four," she answered, still sounding suspicious but humouring him all the same. "One fancy in case I need to blend in somewhere snobbish, two general, then one for relaxing and sleeping.”<br/>“You can fit four outfits and everything else you need in that bag?”<br/>“I’m a clever packer,” Regina commented with a shrug. <br/>“Nah, it’s witchcraft.”<br/>Crossing her arms, she raised her brow and dared him to repeat what he’d just said; “Did you just call me a witch?”<br/>“No, of course not!” Robin waited for her defences to drop back down before he smirked and added: “more like a sorceress.”<br/>He just escaped the shoe she threw at him. But when he turned back there was a hint of a smile on her face, and Robin was proud that he was responsible for it. <br/>A genuine smile - it was worth its weight in gold.<br/>He watched as she shut the door to the bathroom, unaware of the grin on his face until his cheeks started to ache. <br/>“Get to grips, Robin,” he told himself, turning back to his bag and rifling through, checking the purpose of his outfits matched hers. “Just complete the mission, you know what you need to do, don’t get distracted.”<br/>He stopped mumbling when he felt a pair of eyes on him, and when he slowly turned, he found Regina staring at him from the bathroom doorway with an amused expression on her face. <br/>“Can I help you?” Robin sassed.<br/>“I forgot underwear.” She shrugged her shoulders before walking over to her duffel bag.<br/>Robin’s mind went blank for a split second - except for the image of Regina in lacy lingerie, “right.”<br/>“You know, you should probably talk to yourself a little less, otherwise people might overhear something they shouldn’t.” <br/>Robin rolled his eyes, playing off her comment as teasing. But then a thought took root, a nagging, worrying thought that filled his stomach with dread… <br/>“Regina, those comms,” he started, watching as a smirk grew on her face. “They weren’t one way only, were they?”<br/>She turned to face him, her features schooled into something innocent. “Would I lie to you?” <br/>“Yes,” Robin deadpanned.<br/>“So I would,” Regina admitted, losing all of her pretence. Though she made no further move to explain herself as she rummaged through her bag. <br/>“Wait. Does that mean you could hear me?”<br/>“I’m going for my shower.”<br/>“Wait, you never answered me.” Robin watched as she walked back to the bathroom. “Regina…” <br/>She poked her head around the side of the door, departing with an almost-wink and a cheeky smile. <br/>She was trouble. <br/>But oh how he enjoyed trouble. <br/>… <br/>Once Regina came back out, towel drying her damp, curling hair, Robin decided that it was his turn for a quick shower. Freshening himself up and trying to scrub off the smells from Gaston’s room - and the way the dude made his skin crawl. <br/>When he came back out, he found Regina already under the covers of the bed. The bed. Singular. Meaning that they’d have to share. <br/>Robin smirked. Oh no, what a travesty. <br/>“Budge up,” he directed, motioning towards the other side of the bed. <br/>“Oh hell no.” Regina scoffed, pointing to the small lounge area they have, “the couch is over there.” <br/>“You want me to sleep on the couch?”<br/>She made a show of stretching out over the pillows and mattress, all the while having a smug smile on her face. “I’m too comfy to move.” <br/>“Sure,” he took a moment to revel in her satisfaction before he sassed; “and you can put your safety in the hands of someone who can’t even stretch without wincing.”<br/>She obviously could see what he was doing - he knew she wouldn’t want to chance either of them not being at their best - and so with a roll of her eyes she scooted over and gestured to the other side of the bed. <br/>With a smug grin he made his way over, lifting the covers and sitting under them.<br/>"You touch me and I break your fingers," Regina threatened, and from the look in her eyes he could tell she wasn’t joking. <br/>“On my honour,” Robin promised, a hand over his heart. <br/>He got himself situated, and then glanced at the time on his phone; 00:46. They should probably get some rest; they had a big day tomorrow. <br/>He reached over and flicked the switch on the wall to turn his bedside lamp off, hoping Regina followed suit - and smiling when she did. <br/>Robin knew she wasn’t going to fall asleep until she felt comfortable, and so he feigned sleep first. Deepening his breath and resting his hands over his chest, he lay still until he heard her move, the mattress shifting underneath them as she found a more comfortable position. <br/>Her breathing slowed and became heavier, signs of her body falling into slumber.   <br/>With the cover of darkness, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought that he was finally sleeping with Regina Mills. <br/>Well… sort of. But it was good enough for now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Robin had fallen asleep in the bed - their bed - he hadn’t foreseen many issues. In fact, he had been quite happy their room only had the one bed; it had been an excuse to get closer to Regina, perhaps even encourage her to trust him a bit more. </p>
<p>He hadn’t expected it to backfire on him so quickly. </p>
<p>He’d awoken to a sharp pain in his fingers, as if someone was trying to pull them out of their sockets. Reflexively, he’d tucked his hand towards his chest and used the other hand to push away the source of his ache. </p>
<p>It was only when he heard a feminine yelp that consciousness returned to him.</p>
<p>"Regina?" Robin blinked the sleep from his eyes, looking at her with pure confusion on his face. Why was she trying to break his fingers? "What the hell?"</p>
<p>“‘What the hell?’” She mocked - with his accent and tone of voice too. “Do you have a habit of groping people in their sleep?” </p>
<p>“Groping?” Robin’s jaw dropped. He hoped to god he hadn’t been inappropriate. He’d made no secret of the fact he was attracted to her, but there was no way he would resort to touching her when she was vulnerable.</p>
<p>"I woke up to find your hand on my hip,” she declared, and Robin was rather thankful it wasn’t somewhere more intimate. Regina still seemed to take it personally though, lips pursed as she mocked:  “are you not used to sleeping without a teddy bear?"</p>
<p>Sighing and rubbing a hand over his face, Robin muttered: "I think you could be mistaken for a grizzly right now.”</p>
<p>"Can I get back to breaking your fingers now?"</p>
<p>When she reached out towards him he shuffled back, and when she reached out again he stood from the bed completely.</p>
<p>“Woah wait, who said anything about breaking fingers?” </p>
<p>Regina also stood from the bed, eyeing his hands from three feet away as his back pressed against the wall. “I did. I told you last night; if you touch me I will break your fingers…”</p>
<p>Robin’s sleep-addled brain was still kicking into gear, but now that she mentioned it, he seemed to recall her warning him of something like that before they turned in for the night. He hadn’t believed her to be quite so serious though. </p>
<p>“Regina, come on,” he started, slightly pleading. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”</p>
<p>“I don’t care.”</p>
<p>"I'd rather all my fingers were intact."</p>
<p>Regina scoffed, teasing; "I bet you would..."</p>
<p>In his frustrated state, Robin’s mind tried to come up with the best retort, and unfortunately came out with: "If you weren't so hellbent on hating me you'd be kissing these bad boys..."</p>
<p>Robin immediately cringed. Ashamed at the terrible innuendo and the corny phrase that should never ever be repeated. Ever.</p>
<p>It was so bad that it stunned them both into silence, but after a moment's quiet, Regina vowed; "If you say anything like that again I'll shoot you down where you stand. Got it?"</p>
<p>"I think that would be for the best," he muttered, and he almost missed the way Regina's lips curved into a smile. Almost.</p>
<p>With a self-deprecating smile, he stuck his hand out and waggled his fingers. "Truce?"</p>
<p>Her glare was back, but there was a definite light in her eyes that wasn't there before - and less violent intent.</p>
<p>“Robin…” </p>
<p>She paused, struggling with something. But when her mouth opened again, preparing to say something else, Robin decided she didn’t need to explain anything and interrupted her; "no more touching. I promise." </p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>“Unless you want me to,” Robin added with a smirk. “In which case I am one hundred percent up for that.”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes and smiled, reaching forward to grasp his offered hand and slowly shake it. </p>
<p>In a weird way, Robin felt their connection strengthen a little, either from her forgiveness or her trust, he didn’t really know. </p>
<p>But perhaps, sharing this bed might bring them closer after all. </p>
<p>…</p>
<p>..</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>After the morning’s unfortunate incident, they both took their turns in the bathroom getting ready for the day. </p>
<p>Robin would be lying if he stated he wasn’t the slightest bit nervous. He liked familiarity, and he liked knowing what he’d be getting into. He had never worked with Regina before, and whilst he trusted her, she was still an unknown variable. She was unpredictable; he didn’t know how she dealt with setbacks, or how she dealt with unexpected combat - though he hoped he wouldn’t find that out just yet; this Op needed to run as smoothly as possible. </p>
<p>Robin was currently rummaging through his bag, pulling out the clothes he had brought with him as he decided what to wear for their mission. He grasped a grey t-shirt in one hand, and a white one in the other.</p>
<p>"Wait," he muttered before turning to Regina. "I thought it was a black tie event."</p>
<p>"It is," she responded, not even bothering to look up from her own bag.</p>
<p>"I- I don't have anything black tie-ish."</p>
<p>She flippantly waved a hand at him. "You get the uniform when you get there. Just wear whatever you've got that doesn't scream 'I'm an assassin'."</p>
<p>Robin nodded, comforted at her confidence. "You've done this before?"</p>
<p>"Quite a few times," she admitted. "It's worked out pretty well for me in the past."</p>
<p>"Let's hope it works equally as well today."</p>
<p>"As long as you don't screw anything up we should be fine."</p>
<p>Robin stopped, turned to Regina with anger creasing his brow. "Me? What about you?"</p>
<p>"I don't make mistakes," she quipped.</p>
<p>He blinked slowly, not entirely sure he was hearing her right. "Regina, everybody makes mistakes. It’s a part of life."</p>
<p>"I can't afford to. If you lived like me you'd understand."</p>
<p>"Well, I bow to your holiness," Robin sassed, feeling the glare Regina threw his way. He was going to leave it and brush it off, but then his temper got the best of him and he threw his shirt on the bed before turning back to Regina. "Are you always this bitchy before an op, or is it just with me?"</p>
<p>"Is both not an option?"</p>
<p>With a low growl of frustration, Robin threw his hands up in the air. "You know what? Forget it."</p>
<p>With that, Regina turned to him. "Look, we'll get into this place, kill Blue, then you never have to deal with my bitchiness again. Unless you need me to hold your hand on another tricky op…"</p>
<p>"Hey, that's not-" Robin started, before something Regina had said clicked. "Wait, 'Blue'?"</p>
<p>“Yes, Blue; Skylar's alias.”</p>
<p>“I know that’s her alias,” Robin admitted, crossing his arms over his chest. “How do you know that?”</p>
<p>For a moment she froze, caught in the headlights as she realised she’d screwed up. But then she tried to turn the blame back on Robin with a flippant; "You must have mentioned it."</p>
<p>"No, I know I didn't.” Robin dropped his folded arms, softening his edges as he grew serious. "Don't lie to me, Regina."</p>
<p>She lowered her gaze to the floor, opening her mouth to answer - then closing it again. </p>
<p>“Regina…”</p>
<p>“It’s a long story.”</p>
<p>Robin shrugged. “I’m not going anywhere.”</p>
<p>“And I’m not willing to tell it,” she finished.</p>
<p>Robin huffed, frustrated at her reluctance to tell him anything that could even be remotely classed as personal. “Look, I’m trusting you to have my back here, I need to know of any conflict of interest.”</p>
<p>“There is no ‘conflict of interest’," she declared as she glared at him. “I’m wanting to kill this bitch just as much as you are.”</p>
<p>Robin took note of the fire in her eyes, the snippiness to her tone, the tension in her body... She wasn't wanting this as much as he was; she was wanting it more.</p>
<p>So this was personal.</p>
<p>It made sense; why she did a complete 180 when Robin had mentioned Skylar’s name on the phone, why she was working so hard to make this plan as fail-safe as she could.</p>
<p>“What did she do to you?”</p>
<p>Regina’s eyes flicked up to his, and Robin caught a flash of pain before she hid it. “That’s none of your business.”</p>
<p>“Regina…”</p>
<p>“Why does it matter? Blue dies, you get paid, your boss is happy. End of discussion.”</p>
<p>“Regina-”</p>
<p>“End of discussion, Robin.”</p>
<p>Despite his desire to know what had happened, Robin let it go. For now. Because he wasn’t quite sure on when to push and when not to with her yet, and this certainly seemed like one of those times to back away.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>..</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>Their discussion had put Regina in a mood for the rest of the day; she had barely said anything unless it was to do with the mission. He had driven them both to the venue, and on the way there, they had gone over the details of their operation again. And once he had driven up the gravel drive and parked in one of the allocated spaces, they exchanged the last minute details; emergency protocol, dos and don’ts, a quick run-down of their false identities. </p>
<p>Regina handed over their IDs that she’d created; Betty Black, and Michael Green. </p>
<p>“Why the colours?” Robin asked, taking note of their new surnames, but then something clicked in his mind and he answered his own question with a smile. “A dig at ‘Blue’...”</p>
<p>“Is that too petty?” She asked with a smirk, in a way that suggested she didn’t really care in the first place. </p>
<p>It was subtle - too subtle for them to get caught with it - but Robin found amusement in her sense of humour.</p>
<p>“Come on, let’s go get her.”</p>
<p>With one last smile towards her, he turned and opened the car door, climbing out and straightening his clothes before grabbing his stuff from the boot.</p>
<p>Regina had already started making her way towards the house and he had to jog a little to catch up. Every step that they took to the main venue had gravel crunching underfoot. They’d both worn boots, but Robin had no idea how Regina managed to walk on this uneven ground with those heels. </p>
<p>Robin had to admit, the venue became more imposing the closer he got to it; it looked like something out of one of those historical dramas his mother always used to watch when he was a child. A large mansion that looked fit for royalty, and no doubt worth millions; Robin wondered if this belonged to Blue, or one of her acquaintances. It was too big for one person to live in, and so he assumed it was used for hosting events such as this rather than as residential habitation. The front double doors were central, and Robin counted four windows either side on the ground floor, the first and second floors were just as wide, and the windows in the roof implied there were also rooms in the attic too. The grounds must have been two acres, he could already hear the tinkle of water features, and no doubt there would be a pool somewhere. </p>
<p>For a moment he felt a pang of disdain for these people; with all the money between them they could likely house half the homeless in the country, or feed those on food stamps for a year. But no… Instead they used their wealth to buy stolen goods, influence, and power. </p>
<p>What a waste. </p>
<p>“Are you just going to stand and brood, or are we actually doing this?”</p>
<p>He looked to Regina with a sheepish gaze, not realising that he had paused in his musings and caused a hold up. “Sorry,” he muttered. “After you, milady.”</p>
<p>With a small huff, she turned and pressed the doorbell, shoving her hands in her pockets as she waited for someone to answer the door. A brunette woman answered the door, a small smile gracing her features. Dressed in a black suit, she gave off the impression of professionalism - so much so that if they didn’t already have entry, Robin would think he was going for a job interview. </p>
<p>She introduced herself as Fiona Blackwell, and Robin remembered her name from some digging he did before setting off on this mission. She was a member of Blue’s inner circle, frequently seen with her at these types of events and someone not to be crossed with. It was unclear how much she was involved in criminal activity, but if she was hosting Blue’s clientele, Robin had no doubt that she was as morally corrupt as the rest of them. </p>
<p>It was difficult to play nice, but in order for their plan to go off without a hitch, he needed to appear as impartial as possible. And so he pushed down the bitter taste in his mouth, and followed Fiona and Regina through the elegant archway on the right into the reception room - which had been turned into a security area of sorts. There was a metal detector in front of him, and next to that was a table and chair with a burly guy sitting in it. It was more security than he usually had experienced at meetings like this; he’d usually just be patted down. But no, he watched as Regina set her bag down on the table to be searched, and then step through the metal detector. </p>
<p>Robin was glad their plan didn’t involve smuggling weapons through; god knows that would have been difficult to explain. Fortunately, the method of Blue’s demise was a small vial of Tetrodotoxin secretly stowed away - Robin will have the memory of Regina slipping the vial between her breasts forever burned in his mind. It was ideal from their position in the kitchen; they could add anything to the dishes and not be scrutinised. Regina was right - not that he’d willingly admit that of course - this was definitely the best method to take her out.</p>
<p>After they’d cleared security, both of them were taken back to the foyer and through the opposite archway into the kitchen to meet the other staff. There were a dozen people there to carry out the same roles as Robin and Regina, and once everyone was confirmed as present, they were all given a run through of the event rules; don’t engage the guests in conversation, ensure their glasses were always filled with liquor, and be at their beck and call if they ever needed anything. </p>
<p>They were also given strict rules on their appearance; their shirt needed to be buttoned all the way up and tucked into their trousers; their bow ties should not be crooked at any time; their hair was to be neat and tidy, pulled back if long enough, and not covering their face; makeup was to be minimal and barely noticeable; piercings should be removed and tattoos covered; no rings, necklaces, or other jewellery should be worn…</p>
<p>Robin huffed, bored with the constant barrage of ‘this is how you look’, ‘this is how you behave’, ‘this is how you speak’... He leant down to whisper in Regina’s ear: “Do you think we’re allowed to breathe?”</p>
<p>She merely rolled her eyes and nudged him with her shoulder. He got the picture; don’t draw any attention to them and continue with their plan. Though, he still bristled when being given lectures on proper posture, the whole ‘one hand carrying the tray, the other behind one’s back’ nonsense. It was almost like when he was enrolled into Ballroom Dancing classes as a boy. He wasn’t sure if this would be better or worse than his time there, but at least here he had a partner he enjoyed being around - mostly. The girl he used to dance with was irritating at best, unbearable at worst...</p>
<p>“You’re drifting again,” Regina quietly reminded him, and to be honest; she had him there. But this was just so dull that he needed his mind to wander, otherwise he’d fall asleep where he stood. </p>
<p>“I’m having trouble staying awake, let alone paying attention,” Robin explained with a smirk.</p>
<p>Regina turned to face him with steely eyes as she warned him; “if you fuck this up for us because you’re tired…” </p>
<p>The threat remained unsaid, but it was perfectly clear; his life would not be worth living if they failed because of him. “I won’t,” he assured her. “I promise.”</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure if Regina was like this for all of her missions, or if she was just so keyed up because of the significance of this one. She may not have explained it to him, but he knew that there was a story behind her and Blue. He could understand her frustration with a partner who didn’t seem to be listening to what was going on. If their positions were reversed he’d have a difficult time keeping calm too. So, he spent the rest of the time actually making an effort to pay attention to the rules Fiona was laying out. </p>
<p>It wasn’t long before they were given the instruction to change into their new attire, having been passed directions to the makeshift cloakrooms used for the men and women to change in private. As he was getting dressed, Robin tried to avoid becoming too familiar with the men around him; too busy making sure his bowtie wasn’t crooked and his dress slacks were lint-free. Plus, he didn’t want too much guilt to set in if he had to frame one of them for Blue’s murder - they would no doubt be executed - or even if things went awry and he had to take them out himself. No; he wanted to remain as detached from them as possible. It was better that way. He left the room before they did, choosing to return to the foyer where they were due to meet back up. </p>
<p>Regina was already there, fixing the cuff button on her white shirt whilst standing away from the other women who had arrived. It appears she had the same mindset as he did about keeping her distance. It was a sad reality they had to face; the lonely life of an assassin.</p>
<p>She looked beautiful though. Her hair had been pinned back from her face and twisted behind her head, her makeup had been substituted for something a little more subdued, and whilst they may all be wearing a white shirt, black slacks, and a black bowtie, their getup looked better on her than it did on anyone else. Not only was she stunning in a black dress in a hotel lobby, but she was also gorgeous dressed in a basic uniform that looked like it could be bought at the nearest supermarket.</p>
<p>“You scrub down nice,” Robin commented into her ear the moment he was within hearing distance. She turned to face him, and Robin smirked as she gave him the once over. </p>
<p>“You don’t look too bad yourself, either.”</p>
<p>“‘Don’t look too bad’?” He mocked. “Is that the only compliment I get?”</p>
<p>She made a show of giving him another glance over, though she took her time in letting her eyes rake over him. So much so, that when she’d finally reached his face, Robin was sure he’d turned a shade pinker.</p>
<p>He was half expecting her to say something distracting, something to get him even hotter under the collar to tease him like she usually did - but this time she surprised him with a simple; “I like the bow tie.”</p>
<p>Reaching up to grasp the loops and wiggle them a little, Robin smirked and announced; “bow ties are cool.”</p>
<p>The chuckle she let out and the resulting smile on her lips brought a grin to his face. She may be rather irritating from time to time, but her smiles never failed to lift his spirits.</p>
<p>The clack of heels drew everyone’s attention to the doorway. “We all seem to be here, so if you’d like to follow me to the main hall…” Fiona announced, before leading them through a stone archway straight ahead of them into what would be the room for all the guests to mingle. </p>
<p>It was an incredibly large space, at least 50ft from wall to wall in both directions, and there were at least a dozen tables scattered about. This was obviously the main venue, and where the bidding would take place for those items available for auction. The coving around the high ceiling was carved and ornate, and the numerous crystal chandeliers hanging from above scattered the natural daylight all around the pale room. Robin had no doubt that at night this was a beautiful room to be in. </p>
<p>But as it happened, they were there at midday - and if all went well, they weren’t planning on staying into the evening. </p>
<p>Fiona started explaining the rooms they could and could not enter. There was the room they were in now that would be the room for the guests to socialise and sit with food, then there was the kitchen which they had already been in, and then there was a corridor which led to the rooms which housed the exhibits. They were allowed in the latter to service the guests only - Fiona was strict that there would be no looking at the exhibits themselves. Robin had managed to sneak a glance at the floor plan whilst he was going through security; there were all manner of themed rooms for the items which had been ‘procured’. There was a pottery exhibit, a gun exhibit, a sword exhibit, an art exhibit, and then the VIP exhibit - which was accessed by permission only. There were armed guards on that door - Robin didn’t feel like testing his luck there. </p>
<p>All the staff were advised to stay in the main room until the guests had arrived - they were only to leave in order to refill the food or drink they would be carrying. </p>
<p>Robin eyed the trays with disdain, a literal silver platter for all those who didn’t need such things. He was already having to prepare himself to grin and bear it. It was the only option; they weren’t going to leave here without completing their mission. It was clear this meant a lot to Regina, he didn’t want them to fail. He certainly didn’t want to be the reason Regina didn’t manage to get the closure she seemed to need so much. </p>
<p>He didn’t seem to be doing well in that respect though; for the third time today, Regina nudged him out of his musings and back to the present - where he was being told to collect a tray and stand to one side. </p>
<p>The guests were due any moment now, and when they arrived, all the staff were expected to be ready with refreshments. </p>
<p>Grasping a tray with a dozen champagne flutes, Robin obediently stood to the side of the room to join the line of waiting staff. The moment the doorbell rang signalling the first arrival, soft music started playing in the background, and there was a flurry of activity with everyone assumed their places. </p>
<p>Robin wasn’t sure what he was expecting of their first guest, but he certainly wasn’t expecting to see a boy who looked barely out of college. He didn’t seem to have been taught about manners though; barely even glancing at the person who offered to take his coat, and completely ignoring the person who gave him his champagne. </p>
<p>“Peter, how nice of you to join us,” Fiona greeted, welcoming him with open arms. He reciprocated the hug and smiled, complimenting her on the venue and expressing desire to own several pieces. </p>
<p>“I’m sure we can work something out with a generous person such as yourself.”</p>
<p>And in one sentence, Robin knew how they were acquainted; he was one of their donors. The kid probably had more sense than money, choosing to invest in criminal activity rather than something which may actually benefit the general public - as was the way with high net worth individuals. Still… Robin liked to believe that at some point they would turn their life around - though he didn’t hold out much hope.</p>
<p>The second guest arrived not too long after, then the next, then the next, until the main hall was full of people ready to purchase goods that were being sold in order to raise funds for criminal activity. Robin wasn’t oblivious; he knew most of these items had been stolen from their rightful owners - or swapped out with clever forgeries without them even knowing. It all went to show that if the rich and powerful want something, they will get it. By hook or by crook. </p>
<p>Robin managed to sneak a glance at Regina, and whilst she was good at hiding it, he saw she had the same distaste for the guests as he did. </p>
<p>“Do you think we have enough poison to take them all out?” He joked into her ear. </p>
<p>She glared his way, an obvious warning at speaking about their mission in the open. But then she softened and glanced around the room, and he almost missed her low utterance of: “I wish we did.” </p>
<p>Robin scoffed in agreement. He was astounded at how many people had taken a drink off of his tray and not even glanced at him. Regina was right to suggest this way; he doubted anyone would even remember they existed. </p>
<p>He was hoping the same could be said for their host. </p>
<p>Blue was due to show up any minute to start the event, and Robin just hoped that she didn’t really pay much attention to them. He wanted this to run as smoothly as possible; a quick wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am style op where they got out without a hitch. Though, one thing that made him nervous on top of the usual mission worries; Regina. Her history with Blue could affect this op in one of two ways; she could be so focussed that it went better than expected, or she could become distracted and this op would be compromised. And with the way Regina tensed and took in a sharp breath the moment Blue walked into the room, Robin wasn’t confident which way this would go. </p>
<p>Her fingers tightened around the tray, her knuckles turning white with the pressure, and her breathing becoming heavy. The moment Blue started speaking, the glasses on Regina’s tray started to tremble - not enough to noticeably clink together, but enough that the liquid inside them was disturbed. </p>
<p>“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It’s a pleasure to see so many of you willing to participate in this once in a lifetime opportunity.”</p>
<p>Robin huffed. ‘Opportunity’, as if this was anything but an excuse to flaunt wealth. </p>
<p>He felt for Regina though; if he could reach out to her, he would. But instead, he had to appear unaffected to avoid drawing suspicion. </p>
<p>In the end, he settled on shifting so he was standing closer to her, and managing to partially block the view so Regina could have a momentary respite to pull herself back together. </p>
<p>“Are you going to be okay?” He quietly asked - saying ‘fuck it’ to appearing nonchalant and just wanting to make sure she could handle this. </p>
<p>“I’ll be okay,” she responded. “I just…” </p>
<p>“Need a minute?”</p>
<p>“I haven’t seen her in a long time,” Regina admitted. “I’d forgotten how much I hate her.”</p>
<p>So, Regina seemed to be loosening up her own rules now. At least Robin knew they were on the same page. Still, their little conversation allowed Regina to compose herself and reassemble her walls a little higher. </p>
<p>Blue spoke for longer than was necessary, mostly praises and compliments - probably in an attempt to loosen her guests’ wallets - mixed in with some subtle manipulations that Robin liked to think he was immune to. And as soon as Blue had bowed her head and exited off of the raised platform she was speaking from, Robin couldn’t give into the urge to roll his eyes. </p>
<p>All the guests were free to mingle from that point. There were a few tables laden with small foods, and half the staff changed their trays from champagne to hors d’ouvres. This was where both Robin and Regina had to keep their eyes out; the moment that Blue requested a drink or some food, they had to be there with the poison ready to put their plan into motion. </p>
<p>Frustratingly, Blue didn’t order anything for most of the evening; Robin started to keep tabs on Regina to make sure she didn’t run out of patience and kill Blue with her bare hands. God knew he’d understand if she did. But that would result in Regina getting killed straight after, and he’d rather not see that; he may have grown somewhat fond of her. Not that he’d ever admit such a thing out loud. </p>
<p>The time Robin spent not keeping an eye on Regina, he was keeping an eye on the guests. He didn’t think anyone was here that would recognise him - these people seemed to be a bit too far into the depths of criminal activity for him to have brushed paths with. He’d overheard someone bragging about the money they’d made from correctly timed assassinations of public figures, and another person who had discussed their war profiteering as if it was something to be proud of. If it wouldn’t draw suspicion, Robin might have been tempted to make a list of everyone there and cross them off himself. The world would be a better place without them.</p>
<p>There was one particular guest who creeped him out more than the rest. Robin had been making his way back from the sword exhibit and had overheard him discussing his daughter with a few of the other male guests. He had only caught part of the conversation, but it had sounded as if he was trying to use his daughter as a bargaining chip, implying that should their deal go ahead, she would be more than willing to ‘show her appreciation’. </p>
<p>Robin felt sick to his stomach. That poor woman… He doubted she even had a choice in the matter - as was the way with all of these rich people with beautiful children. Still… there wasn’t much he could do for her at the moment. Perhaps one day he could find her and help get her out of this life - if she wanted to - but right now he had to focus on the task at hand. Which was rather difficult when he was being ordered in every which way to ‘fetch me another champagne’ or ‘get me some more of that food from earlier’. </p>
<p>If Robin didn’t have one particular target in mind, he’d be shooting them all regardless of consequences. </p>
<p>Especially the man who kept eyeing up Regina. </p>
<p>He wasn’t a jealous man, not really, but Robin couldn’t help the urge to punch whichever lecherous creep looked her way. Even the guy who tried to pawn off his daughter had taken a couple of glances, and Robin wanted to shove that pricey champagne flute down his throat until he choked. </p>
<p>Gritting his teeth, Robin made his way to the kitchen to refill his tray. All this criminal activity must be thirsty work… </p>
<p>It was on his way back to the sword exhibit that he saw the man from earlier talking to one of the security guards. Trying not to make it obvious he was eavesdropping, Robin approached the nearest group of people and offered them his tray. He took the time they used to swap their empty glasses for refilled ones to overhear what was being said. </p>
<p>He only caught bits and pieces, but what he did hear caused his stomach to drop and his chest to tighten. </p>
<p>‘She’s dangerous’, ‘assassin’, ‘dispose of her’...</p>
<p>Regina… </p>
<p>He wasn’t sure how she had been recognised with this crowd; he figured anyone associated with these people had souls just as black as they did. Most of the people here had their hands practically dripping in blood, he hadn’t expected Regina to have had dealings with them before. He didn’t know what she had been involved in, and it was just now occurring to him that perhaps he didn’t want to.</p>
<p>Still, he needed to get Regina out of here. Undoubtedly she wouldn’t be happy with this, but her life was at stake - and far more important than what they were doing here. </p>
<p>He was just about to set off to find her when the man who had reported her turned to look at him. “You. Stay there.” </p>
<p>As heavy footsteps walked towards him, Robin felt his heart start pounding. Had he worked out he was with Regina? Was he going to turn him in too? How did he know him? ...</p>
<p>Robin catalogued every item near him that could be used as a weapon, the exits easiest for him to get to, and created several plans that could get both himself and Regina out of there - not all were fatality-free. </p>
<p>But as it happened, this stupid buffoon of a person only wanted one of the champagne flutes on Robin’s tray, and didn’t appear to have any manners. </p>
<p>Letting out a long, relieved breath the moment the man had walked away, Robin scanned his eyes across the room in an attempt to find Regina. When he was certain she wasn’t there, he broke the rules and placed his tray down on the nearest flat surface so he could search for her unhindered. </p>
<p>He found her in the corridor between the art and gun exhibits, holding an empty tray and no doubt on her way to fill it back up again. </p>
<p>Checking that nobody was following her - or him - he waited until they were almost on top of each other and then dragged her into the nearest empty room. </p>
<p>“Robin? What the hell are you doing?” Regina asked, still recovering her balance from being pushed into what looked like a home office. </p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Regina,” Robin started, ensuring the door was locked before he turned back to her. “But you’ve been made.”</p>
<p>Her face fell, anger being replaced by confusion. “What?”</p>
<p>“There’s a man in there, he knows you. Or at the very least recognises you; he’s aware that you’re an assassin, and he’s told security,” Robin explained. “They’re searching the building for you now.”</p>
<p>“Shit.”</p>
<p>Well… that was one way of putting it. “Yeah.”</p>
<p>Robin watched as she ran a hand over her hair, turning away from him as she muttered a string of other curses. She kicked the chair closest to them in her frustration, sending it skidding across the floor so fast that the wheels couldn’t keep up. </p>
<p>“Because that won’t draw attention,” Robin deadpanned.</p>
<p>Regina rounded on him and Robin instinctively took a step back. “Who was it?”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Who noticed me?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know… Some middle aged, white dude?” </p>
<p>Regina let out a sharp laugh - the kind reserved for situations that weren’t funny in the least. “That’s practically everyone here, Robin!”</p>
<p>“I know, I know…” he sighed, running a hand over his face. “I can’t remember his name. I was too focussed on getting you to safety.”</p>
<p>He should have been concentrating more, he knew that, but he was too worried about something happening to Regina. She didn’t even know she was in danger. Yes, she was skilled enough to hold her own, but security had an advantage. And an advantage could be deadly in this business. That was how he rationed his lack of attention. Instead of the possibility he had been emotionally compromised.</p>
<p>Robin turned his gaze back to Regina, unaware of what she was thinking – the only indication she was feeling anything was the anger swirling in her eyes. It seemed to be the calm before the storm. </p>
<p>And sure enough, within the next second she had let out a low growl from the base of her throat before swiping her hand along the desk, making all of the items neatly placed on its top scatter upon the floor.</p>
<p>Robin was under no illusions that this woman didn’t have a temper, but he hadn’t quite realised the extent until now. </p>
<p>He glanced behind him towards the locked door, hoping that nobody on the other side had heard and reported it - that was the last thing they needed.</p>
<p>“We’re not going to get her, are we?” Regina asked - her voice surprisingly calm again, as if she had worked through all the stages and straight into acceptance. </p>
<p>“Blue,” she clarified when she realised he hadn’t responded. “We have to leave, and we’ll miss this window, and she’ll know someone is after her and up her security. This is it.”</p>
<p>With another, smaller swift kick to the desk in front of her, Regina let out a frustrated sigh.</p>
<p>It meant a lot to her. He could see that now. He could live without killing Blue – yes, his employer would likely have a few choice words and he’d be once again back on desk duty for a while – but this was obviously something Regina needed. Some sort of closure for whatever had happened to her.</p>
<p>With a plan in mind, Robin turned to leave. It was a pipe dream, but better than nothing. His risky backup plan could go tits up in so many different ways. But if what Regina said was true and this was their only opportunity; he had to at least try. </p>
<p>“Where are you going?”</p>
<p>“I may have something…”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>Robin shook his head. “I’m not getting your hopes up, but I’ll let you know if it works.”</p>
<p>“Robin…”</p>
<p>“Nobody’s made me. I’m clean,” he assured her. “You get yourself out, and we’ll meet at the big oak tree down the road, like we said. Okay?”</p>
<p>She glared at him, but he glared back, holding her gaze to prove he wasn’t going to be swayed on this - something she seemed to pick up on. </p>
<p>Regina pressed her lips together and exhaled, suddenly looking rather unsure and concerned. “Be careful.”</p>
<p>Robin blinked in surprise. Was that… was that actual concern he heard in her voice? “Wow, that almost sounded like you care.”</p>
<p>“Don’t be daft,” she dismissed, her expression back to her usual, mostly unreadable state. “You’re just my lift back to the hotel.” </p>
<p>Robin smirked, humouring her with a drawn out; “right.”</p>
<p>She gave him one last glare before she moved over to the far wall. Brushing aside the baby blue curtain, she pushed the window pane up until there was a quiet creak and a sudden draft of cold air. With one hand pressed against the wall for leverage, she leaned forwards and peered out to gauge the distance she’d have to fall to get to safety. “Yeah, I’m not jumping that…”</p>
<p>With a huff she stood back up straight, closing the window again and replacing the curtain. She turned to face Robin, a frown on her face as she placed her hands on her hips. “I guess I’ll just have to work my way through the house to another exit and hope I don’t get caught.”</p>
<p>The thought of that filled Robin with dread. Not only did she have to go through the house with the guest who recognised her, and the security guards who had been told to ‘dispose of her’, but they hadn’t been able to get a full floor plan. They had the general entrances and exits memorised, but they weren’t aware of what doors were blocked or where the guards were stationed. “Regina…”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>And ‘what’ indeed? He wasn’t exactly in the best position to provide back-up, especially considering they had some items in lockers that he really wanted to get back - including a couple of subtle weapons. He’d have to go back in too.</p>
<p>It was risky; he had no idea if he’d been compromised. He didn’t think anyone had put two and two together and realised that he was working with Regina, but he’d prefer not to find out. So whilst Regina was finding her way out and back to the oak tree they’d agreed to meet up at, he’d be gathering their stuff and making his own way there.</p>
<p>If circumstances allowed, he may even be able to initiate his secret back-up plan. But that was a very big if. And an even bigger maybe. </p>
<p>So… this was it. Hopefully they both made it out of this alive. </p>
<p>“You be careful too.”</p>
<p>She looked rather surprised at his sentiment - though quickly managed to get her features back under control. Her lips quirked in a sly smile; “it almost sounds like you care”, she mocked, repeating his earlier jibe. </p>
<p>“Don’t be daft,” he joked. “You’re just my gun for hire.”</p>
<p>With a small chuckle she rolled her eyes and nodded towards the door. “Go.”</p>
<p>He didn’t have any witty retort to throw back at her, but he was rather glad that she wasn’t taking his sentiment to heart. Robin was aware that she avoided most displays of feelings, as if they were a weakness to her. But the truth was; he cared. A lot. Too much, perhaps. The thought of anything happening to her was… paralysing. The sooner he could get them both out of there, the better. </p>
<p>“Don’t get yourself killed,” he requested, trying to play it off but unable to remain wholly impartial. </p>
<p>“How can I? You’re taking all the incompetence with you.”</p>
<p>He smiled, comforted that even with all their plans going to shit, she was still the feisty Regina he knew.</p>
<p>With one last look at her, he unlocked the door and headed back out into the mostly empty corridor. Fortunately, nobody paid him any mind, and so he made his journey back to his lockers, picking up his discarded tray on the way and trying to focus his mind on the task at hand - rather than the woman currently at risk of being caught and killed.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>..</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>Keeping his mind off of Regina was easier said than done, but in the end, Robin had managed to make his way back to their lockers, grab their stuff, and hide it in the corner before the exit he planned to use. But one final thing before he made his way out; his plan B. </p>
<p>It was probably the most riskiest of plan B’s he’d ever come up with, and in all honesty, he wasn’t intending to use it. Not until he saw how much this had meant to Regina. And then like an idiot he’d let himself be put in a situation where he had more chance of being killed than not - and all because of his ‘bleeding heart’ as his friends had described it. He just wouldn’t be able to live with himself if Regina missed out on this once in a lifetime opportunity when he had a chance to do something about it. </p>
<p>So that was how he found himself walking up to where Blue was currently stood with Fiona and the first guest who came through the doors. </p>
<p>He eyed the security guards who were stood further back on the stage keeping an eye out on all the guests. And he also tried to monitor Blue’s private security team who were attempting - rather poorly - to blend in as guests. With each step closer to Blue, her personal security moved closer to him, and once he was barely two meters away from her, they reached for their weapons concealed under their dinner jackets. </p>
<p>Blue, Fiona, and the guest - Peter, if Robin remembered rightly - seemed to be in a rather intense conversation judging from the low whispers and unimpressed glares. Robin hated to interrupt, but really, what choice did he have? </p>
<p>“Excuse me, my sincere apologies for the intrusion, ma’am,” he started, lightly touching Blue’s shoulder and almost taking a step back at the way she turned to him with a dangerous look in her eye. He figured he better continue talking before she arranged for his quick demise. “Your presence is requested by one of the guests in the art room. He is prepared to make a rather large donation but only if you can discuss the matter with him.” </p>
<p>Her eyebrow raised, and for a moment Robin felt less at risk of being shot. “Is that so?”</p>
<p>“I can advise him that you are otherwise occupied?” Robin offered, hoping that he wouldn’t have to escort her there himself. No doubt her own security would shoot him on pure suspicion if he led her to a spot where nobody was standing. Fortunately, she told him to tell the guest she’d be right with him and then dismissed him with a wave of her hand. </p>
<p>Robin nodded, grateful that he was managing to stay alive pretty well, and then made a swift retreat - with part one of his back-up plan in motion.</p>
<p>To keep up appearances he went back down the corridor and into the art room - though he just tucked himself past the doorway and waited a couple of moments before making his way back through to his planned exit. </p>
<p>He left his tray behind a large plant-pot, took one last look around the people in his immediate vicinity to ensure nobody was watching him, and then slipped away into the evening. </p>
<p>…</p>
<p>..</p>
<p>. </p>
<p>Sneaking around the side of the large mansion, Robin kept to the shadows wherever possible. There were some areas which were illuminated by a decorative arch or a fancy water feature, but the rest he was able to navigate fairly well without a chance of being picked up on any kind of security cameras. </p>
<p>When he reached the area near the car park and the lawn underfoot turned into gravel, his steps became lighter to avoid the crunch of stone under his boots. His eyes fell onto the large oak tree at the edge of the grounds, and his eyes strained in the darkness to try and catch sight of Regina. The closer he got, the emptier the area around the tree appeared. Did she make it out? Did something happen? Was she…?</p>
<p>Completely forgetting all of the protocols he had set for himself, he recklessly put himself in the open to take the quickest path there. He had to see if Regina had made it, if not he’d be going straight back in there to get her. Fuck their in-case-of-emergency plan to get out of there alone if the other got caught. There was no way he’d be leaving without her. </p>
<p>“Regina?” He called, keeping his voice to a whisper but still loud enough to fall within earshot of the tree. “Regina, are you there?”</p>
<p>There was a moment where his heart dropped, his mind believing that she was in real danger and that he’d have to organise a rescue mission in addition to their termination mission. But then there was a slight rustle and a figure stepped around the tree into his field of vision. </p>
<p>Regina...</p>
<p>A very irritated Regina. “Are you insane?” She hissed. “Are you trying to get us both killed?”</p>
<p>Robin didn’t care; too busy recovering from his ‘Regina’s in trouble’ mindset. But she was okay, she was safe. “I didn’t know if you’d made it.”</p>
<p>“I barely did,” she admitted. “But we need to get out of here before they find out I escaped and send their guns after me.”</p>
<p>Nodding in agreement, Robin let his gaze fall onto the car they’d hired, already plotting his route out of the event and back to their hotel in his mind. Regina reached the car before he did, making a show of tugging on the locked door handle before he pressed the fob and let them both in. </p>
<p>Robin sat in the driver’s seat, and Regina glanced in the rear-view mirror for the security officers now making their way out of the building to the car park. “Robin, go. Now.”</p>
<p>He reversed out of their allocated space then floored it, hearing the chips of gravel pinging off of the car’s bodywork as he sped out onto the main road. Regina seemed to spend most of the drive turned to look through the rear-view window, and the only comments she made were to give him instructions and routes for him to take back to avoid being tracked by those after them. Eventually, the stress of the situation got under Robin’s skin and he snapped; “I know how to dodge a tail, Regina.”</p>
<p>Regardless, she ignored him and continued spouting tips and tricks to avoid being picked up on cameras. </p>
<p>He could tell the moment she was sure they weren’t being tailed; when she was certain that they’d made it, she turned to face the front, sat back in the seat, and let out the most frustrated sigh he’d ever heard. She ran a hand over her hair and huffed again, then, as if she couldn’t bear to have it on a moment longer, pulled the black bow tie from around her neck and threw it onto the dashboard. </p>
<p>He’d have to remember to collect that later, lest the hire company collect it and keep it in lost property - they’d used false IDs to collect the vehicle, the last thing they needed was to leave their DNA all over the car. </p>
<p>“Look, today didn’t go great, but we’ll sort it,” Robin assured her. “We’ll go back to the hotel room, perhaps order room service, relax a little, plan our next move, and-“</p>
<p>“If you’re going to suggest ‘fuck the stress away’...” she started, her voice having a hint of warning, but not enough for Robin to tell if she was joking with him, or seriously about to shoot him in the kneecaps for even suggesting such a thing. </p>
<p>“Uh, we... we could do that, if you want?” He offered, not one to turn down spending some time getting sweaty between the sheets with Regina. </p>
<p>“Don’t flatter yourself,” she griped, obviously not joking around this time. </p>
<p>With their failed plan, wasted resources, and Regina’s attitude, Robin lost what little patience he had left. “We’re not going to get anywhere by sitting here and having a temper tantrum.”</p>
<p>“And we’re not going to get anywhere by knocking hips either,” she sassed. “So just shut up and let me think of another plan.”</p>
<p>Robin opened his mouth to argue back, but then he decided better of it. If she wanted to channel her energy into plotting ways to kill people then she was more than welcome to do that. As long as he wasn’t one of her targets, she could do whatever the hell she liked. </p>
<p>Suddenly he felt a little less willing to dive into almost certain death for this woman. He’d have to remember this the next time they found themselves in danger - if there even was a next time. Right now, they’d be lucky to even have a this time. He doubted that his back-up plan would be working; it was wishful thinking to believe it would lead to any kind of results.</p>
<p>He supposed that Regina would have to get over it, and wait and hope for another opportunity. Robin was more than willing to work with her on a second attempt if they had one - if she wanted him to. </p>
<p>But it was then that he realised that the whole reason for this operation in the first place was as a work assignment. Never mind Regina; his own boss would be plotting to kill him for yet another failed mission. </p>
<p>Suddenly, his mood soured and his attention was no longer on the woman sat next to him. </p>
<p>He needed to come up with an excuse.</p>
<p>Or find another job...</p>
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